During high school, students start to decide what they want to do in their future. This can consist of college, a trade school, going straight into the workforce and many more paths. No matter what a student choses, it is important for them to have a strong foundation going into it. If a student is looking into attending a college or university, it requires a substantial amount of funds. This year, Freedom has partnered with The Challenge Program, Inc. (TCP) to help students lessen this financial burden. 

Representatives from TCP and the United States Gypsum Company (USG) presented the program to students on October 2. During this informative assembly, they explained how their founder, Daniel Perkins, created this program 20 years ago to push students to find success. The program incentivizes students with cash who are doing the right things in school, which in turn will set them up to be good employees in the future. 

“We hope that students can gain a sense of accomplishment and pride. We want them to know that we believe in them and no matter what their past is, they can look towards a bright future and there are opportunities out there for them, especially with their business partner,” TCP Marketing Manager, Ms. Melanie Muha, said.

Students are automatically registered to be eligible for money within the five competition categories. The categories are: attendance, STEM, community service, academic improvement and academic excellence. With the program,15 students within Freedom have the opportunity to receive $200 per category. In addition to these five categories, students can also apply to their Student of the Year Competition. The competition is open through March 3, 2024. The winnings are $2,500. To enter, go to www.tcpinc.org. 

“I think it is really cool that you can earn money just for doing academic things in school,” freshman Abby Probst said. 

If students are not interested in applying for any of the categories, the program also provides the opportunity to connect with the workforce through USG, which is a local company that works in the construction industry, specifically through materials. Through TCP, they hope to build a long-term relationship with the high school and excite students about jobs at USG. The Challenge Program is also a conduit for this business to connect to the high school in ways that were not previously available.

“We have been looking to engage with a local high school for some time. We are very excited The Challenge Program reached out to us and made the connection for us.  We are excited to show interested students our operations in the spring.  We are even more excited to hire those that may be interested,” USG plant manager, Jennifer Snee, said. 

Although this is a new program to the highschool, TCP is currently partnered with 140 schools across Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. This is a great opportunity for students of all kinds to benefit from. From the vast categories covered to opportunities with USG, TCP and the high school alike are excited to see how their partnership benefits students as the program continues.