Google �kalamazoo promise� (with quotation marks).

I heard about this Thursday night while at work.

And it just made me get a big ol� smile on my face.

If you don�t feel like googling anything, that�s alright. Here�s the story from our local news channel wwmt channel 3 (www.wwmt.com )

(NEWS 3) � The revolutionary Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program was the talk of West Michigan today. The generous promise of a college education for graduates of the city�s public school system even made national news.

School administrators say Kalamazoo will be the only school district in the nation that will pay for all of its graduates to go to college.

Superintendent Janice Brown announced the Kalamazoo Promise program Thursday night. An anonymous group of donors will pay tuition and fees for any Michigan institution of higher learning for the next 12 graduating classes.

The program begins in 2006.

"There is no catch,� said Brown. �The catch is: go to Kalamazoo public schools, graduate and get a scholarship. It's as simple as that."

Students who begin attending Kalamazoo public schools prior to tenth grade are eligible for the scholarship. The amount depends on how long the student has been enrolled. If the student has attended to Kalamazoo Public Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, they will receive enough money to cover 100% of their college tuition.

The news was enthusiastically received by students like Ashley Hill, a junior at Kalamazoo Central High School. �It's a really good thing, we needed this. A lot of us going to college weren't going to because of funds.�

Said K-Central senior Isaac Boyd, �I was very worried. Me and my mom were struggling until we heard about that. It was magnificent.�

For Simone Snyder the announcement meant she does not have to worry about saving money for her 1st grader�s college education. �When they flashed to Dr. Brown, all I could think is, My son is going to go to college!�

Governor Jennifer Granholm says the Promise poises West Michigan for a highly educated population that will strengthen the area�s economy. �What a gift!� she said.

To remain eligible once in college, students must maintain at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average; must be in good standing; and must successfully complete 12 credit hours each semester.

The scholarship lasts four years from the high school graduating date unless it's interrupted by military service.

The Kalamazoo district has about 11,000 students in all grades.

Length of Attendance Benefit
K-12 ....................100%
1-12 .....................95%
2-12 .....................95%
3-12 .....................95%
4-12 .....................90%
5-12 .....................85%
6-12 .....................80%
7-12 .....................75%
8-12 .....................70%
9-12 .....................65%
10-12 ...................None
11-12 ...................None
12-12 ...................None

That? Is amazing. In times when schools are closing or losing teachers/students because of funding, and when there are high school graduates who end up not going to college because they can�t afford it (which was one reason I dropped out), just seeing something like this happen for a *whole* school district, its just.. Hell, its mind boggling. It makes me glad to see that there are people who care enough about their community to do something.

Opening up the paper I get everyday (Kalamazoo Gazette), and having a giant picture on the front page of a couple of teenagers talking about this (eyes wide, smiles on their faces)..amazed and shocked and excited.. It gave me goosebumps. The thought of kids, who wouldn�t have been able to afford it or able to get scholarships, being able to go college.. Well, it melted my cynical occasionally black heart.

A little note to the kids who this affects: I know when you get to college, you�ll probably want to have fun and party all the time (maybe not all of you, but there will be some of you). I�m all for having fun. Life can get depressing when you act like you have a stick up your ass all of the time. However, this is an amazing opportunity for you. So, prove that. Kick some academic ass and show to whoever has done this, that they did right and got you all educated. Whatever it is that you decide to do, rock it like something fierce.

And maybe, in return, you do something good for this community.

Let's keep an endless cycle of good going.