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Page Scholar Handbook Page Scholar Carissa Franklin Master of Social Work, University of St. Thomas

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Page 1: Page Scholar Handbook€¦ · Page Scholar, you will have the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of local youth, participate in professional development and

Page Scholar

Handbook

Page Scholar Carissa Franklin Master of Social Work,

University of St. Thomas

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Mail ALL letters and forms here: P.O Box 581254 Minneapolis, MN 55458 Visit our office: 901 N. 3rd Street, Suite 355 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm *For security and safety purposes, call us to let us know when you are stopping by prior to your visit. Office Phone: (612) 332-0406 Office Fax: (612) 332-0403 General Email: [email protected] Website: www.page-ed.org

Get the latest news! Follow us on social media. Facebook www.facebook.com/PageEdFnd/ Twitter https://twitter.com/PageEdFdn @PageEdFdn Instagram www.instagram.com/pageedfdn/ @pageedfdn LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/page-education-foundation/

Contact Information

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Table of Content

Welcome Letter and Introduction

Section 1: Being a Page Scholar A. Our Mission and History p.4 B. Our Program Model p.5

1. Page Grant Program p.5 2. Service to Children p.5 3. Page Connections p.5

Section 2: Representing the Page Education Foundation

A. Professional Conduct p.6 B. Academic Honesty p.7 C. Communication p.7 D. General Information p.8

1. Page Scholar Events & Activities p.8 2. 2020-2021 Scholar Calendar p.10

Section 3: Required Forms

A. Acceptance Form p.11 B. Service to Children Project Proposal Form p.11 C. Service to Children Evaluation Form p.12 D. Falsifying Forms p.13 E. Unsatisfactory Volunteer Service Feedback and

Complaints p.13

Section 4: Guidelines of Service to Children Project A. Goals of Service-to-Children Project p.14 B. Service-to-Children Project Guidelines p.14 C. Finding and Selecting a Volunteer Site p.15 D. Expectations from your Volunteer Site p.16

Section 5: Page Grant Payment Process

A. Fall Page Grant Payment p.18 B. Spring Page Grant Payment p.18 C. Page Grant Payment Process p.19 D. Other Payment Related Topics p.20

Section 6: Annual Renewal of Page Grant p.21

Section 7: Frequently Asked Questions p.22

Table of Content

Page Scholar Paris Yarbrough Juris Doctorate,

University of St. Thomas Law School

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Welcome Letter and Introduction Congratulations! On behalf of the Page Education Foundation’s staff and board, we welcome you to the Page Family! You were selected from a pool of impressive student leaders who are all seeking a better future and a better community. As a Page Scholar, you will have the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of local youth, participate in professional development and career building opportunities, and create a community with other Page Scholars on your college campus. The purpose of this handbook is to familiarize you with our program rules and expectations so you can maintain your eligibility for the Page Grant and continue to participate and benefit from our programs throughout the academic year. In the pages to follow, you will find information about what to expect as a Page Scholar, learn when forms are due and where to find them as well as instructions on how to complete your volunteer service requirement, and renew your Page Grant at the end of the school year. As a young professional and emerging leader, it is YOUR responsibility to familiarize yourself with the content of this handbook and refer to it when you have questions throughout the academic year. Failure to adhere to the rules and requirements will put your Page Grant in jeopardy. If you have any questions regarding your Page Grant or Service to Children Project, please do not hesitate to contact the office at (612) 332-0406 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you for allowing us to support you as you pursue your dream of a post-secondary degree. Sincerely, The Page Staff Page Education Foundation

Amanda Moua

Executive Director [email protected]

Kathleen McKinstra

Development Director [email protected]

Kathy Moua

Operations Manager [email protected]

Jina Rahimi

Page Grant Program Coordinator

Candace Her

Annika Greenberg

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[email protected]

Service to Children and Outreach Coordinator

[email protected] Events Coordinator

[email protected]

Being a Page Scholar A. Our Mission and History

The Page Education Foundation (PEF) was founded in 1988 by, Alan Page, and his wife, Diane Sims Page. Alan Page gained national recognition as a defensive tackle in the NFL during the 15 seasons he played for the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. During his football years, Alan pursued his Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School. He later served as Minnesota’s first African American associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1993 until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2015. In 2017, Alexander Ramsey Middle School in Minneapolis was changed to Justice Page Middle School. In 2018, Alan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a distinction bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made meritorious contributions to our country. Diane passed away on September 29, 2018. The Diane Page Legacy Fund was established in her memory. For over 30 years, we have created heroes through education and service.

Our mission is to encourage Minnesota students of color to pursue post-secondary education.

We accomplish this by providing Page Grants to Minnesota students of color and in turn, asking our recipients, we call “Page Scholars”, to volunteer as tutors, mentors and role models to children in grades K-8th. The racial achievement gap in education is a national problem but the gap is glaring in Minnesota where students of color and American Indian students continue to graduate from school at a lower rate than their affluent white peers. A young person’s life-long success begins with an education. Higher education promises far-reaching benefits, especially to students of color who often face daunting challenges in completing a post-secondary education. As a Page Scholar, YOU help us fulfill our mission to close the racial achievement gap in education when you enroll and continue your education through college, and when you volunteer in the community to encourage young children of color to see higher education as a possibility. Your goal in volunteering is to help the children you serve become a Page Scholar one day!

Section 1

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B. Our Program Model

The Page Education Foundation (PEF) has a unique and successful model in working with Page Scholars that integrates financial support, service leadership, and professional career development into one service.

1. Page Grant

The Page Grant is our scholarship program awarded to Minnesota students of color and American Indian students who graduate from a Minnesota high school and attend a Minnesota post-secondary educational institution. Recipients are known as Page Scholars. All Page Scholars are part of the Page Grant program. 2. Service to Children Program

The Service to Children program requires Page Scholars to volunteer for a minimum of 50 hours during the academic year tutoring and mentoring children in grades K-8. The volunteer service is focused on academic support and improvement in these core academic subjects: reading, writing, math. Through this program, Page Scholars serve as role models and help to reduce the child-to-adult ratio in classrooms, schools, libraries, and community organizations across Minnesota. All Page Scholars are part of the Service to Children Program. Page Scholars who cannot take part in the Service to Children Program forfeit their participation in the Page Grant program.

3. Page Connections

Through Page Connections, Page Scholars receive professional development and mentoring to create pathways to meaningful employment post-graduation. The Accelerate component of Page Connections provides Page Scholars with opportunities to learn about local Minnesota businesses and companies who have invested in their education. During the school year, Scholars engage in workshops, fieldtrips, and mentoring through Accelerate partners with the goal of obtaining a summer internship. Page Connections ensures that the investment Page Scholars have put towards their education is maximized through meaningful connections and work experiences. All Page Scholars must participate in the various components of Page Connections (i.e. Workshops and webinars, Accelerate, or College, Coffee, and Conversations mentoring). We strongly advise that Page Scholars take advantage of this program to increase their chances of obtaining meaningful employment upon graduation.

TR Accelerate Page Scholars 2019-2020 Cohort

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Representing the Page Education Foundation A. Professional Conduct We engage with Page Scholars as emerging professionals. PEF staff members will advise, mentor, and support a Page Scholar throughout their academic studies, but success in the program ultimately is determined by the individual. To foster a climate where academic and professional integrity is valued above all else, we have developed the following standards for you to uphold while participating in our programs. Respect PEF staff members will always treat you with professionalism, respect, and kindness. In return, we expect the same level of professional courtesy. Verbal abuse, foul language, and threats exhibited towards PEF staff members will not be tolerated and will result in dismissal from the programs. Commitments

Our most successful Page Scholars are those who are involved. These scholars go above their 50 hours of volunteer service requirement, attend PEF events, and take full advantage of the professional development and career opportunities presented to them. We understand that you have outside responsibilities such as work, school, and family obligations. However, when you make a commitment to PEF (i.e. RSVP to attend an event), you are expected to follow through on that commitment. Slots for these events are typically limited and last-minute cancellations take opportunities away from other Page Scholars. In the case that an emergency arises and prevents you from fulfilling your commitment, contact PEF staff members as soon as possible to inform them of your situation. No calls and no shows are incredibly unprofessional and

Section 2

Page Scholar Anel Braziel Bachelor Criminal Justice

Metropolitan State University

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communicate that you are unreliable and not serious about your commitments to the Page Education Foundation. Furthermore, continuously rescheduling or canceling commitments display a lack of planning and time management skills. If you need help organizing your calendar and building these skills, we can help.

B. Academic Honesty Your academic work reflects your knowledge, skills, and academic integrity and is fundamental to our organization. As a Page Scholar, you are responsible for adhering to the principles of academic honesty outlined below. Prohibited conducts include, but are not limited to the following: PLAGARISM is the wrongful appropriation, close imitation, or purloining of publication of another author’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions and the representation of them as one’s own original work (plagiarism.repec.org). Submission of plagiarized work is taken seriously and any essay that is not original work by the Page Scholar and/or has been deemed as plagiarized is illegal and will result in the immediate loss of your Page Grant. You can find more information about plagiarism on your college campus. FORGERY is the act of reproducing something for a deceitful or fraudulent purpose. The false making or altering of any documents and intending that anyone shall accept it as genuine is forgery. This includes falsifying a person’s writing (i.e. forging a signature) by which the rights or obligations of another person is affected. Submission of forged documents by a Page Scholar will result in the immediate loss of your Page Grant. ESSAY DUPLICATION is the act of submitting the same essay or work from previous year for the Page Grant. Each year Page Scholars must create a new and original essay to submit. Duplication of any previously submitted essays or work will result in the immediate loss of your Page Grant. FABRICATING INFORMATION is the act of using and/or submitting fake or altered information and data for any exercise or requirements (i.e. making up experiences during your Service-to-Children Project). Submission of any essays or work with fabricated information will result in the immediate loss of your Page Grant.

C. Communication Our primary means of communication is through e-mail. Any follow-up reminders provided by PEF staff is out of courtesy and not required. We will assist you by providing courtesy program updates through e-mails, Weekly Bulletins, text messages, and social networking posts. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that you receive all correspondence and have access to technology and WIFI. We advise that you add “page-ed.org” to your email’s safe senders/white list. Contact us for instructions on how to complete this task.

Updating Student Contact Information At all times, Page Scholars are required to update any changes to their contact information with PEF program staff:

• Address

• Phone Number(s)

• E-mail Address

• School Changes

• Name Changes

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• Enrollment Status Guideline for E-Mailing PEF Staff Members Contact us through the e-mail address you provided on your Page Grant application. This will help us to identify you. In your e-mails, always provide the following information: your full name (no nicknames) and detailed information about why you are contacting us. How quickly we respond to your needs is highly determined by your communication. Your time is valuable. Help us resolve your issue as quickly as possible so you can focus on your studies. No 3rd Party/Middle-Man Communication As adults in our program it is your responsibility to contact the PEF office with your questions or concerns. We will not communicate or relay any information to individuals who are not direct recipients of our Page Grant. This includes parent(s), legal guardians, high school and college counselors, and/or your volunteer service supervisor. One of our goals is to cultivate a safe environment for you to practice self-advocacy skills. We cannot accomplish this if you do not reach out to us with your questions and concerns. Many times, your voice will help us build a better and stronger program.

D. General Information and Policy 1. Page Scholar Events & Activities Your attendance at each of these events is mandatory, unless noted otherwise. Award Ceremony The Award Ceremony is our annual event held in June that provides an opportunity for new and returning Page Scholars to be recognized for their achievement in front of friends, family, and the community. Invitations to the Award Ceremony is sent out via email after Page Grant recipients have been notified of their awards. Page Scholar Seminar The Scholar Seminar is our annual event held in July for ALL Page Scholars. The event is a mini conference aimed at providing Page Scholars with an opportunity to receive information from the Page Education Foundation and connect with volunteer opportunities through our service to children community partners. At the Seminar, Page Scholars also participate in a variety of professional development workshops offered through our corporate and business partners. This experience provides you with networking opportunities with local professionals who are invested in your education and future. The Page Scholars Seminar is designed for all Page Scholars regardless of their age and year(s) in college. Accelerate The Accelerate component of Page Connections provide Page Scholars with opportunities to learn about local Minnesota businesses and companies who have invested in their education. During the school year, Scholars engage in workshops, fieldtrips, and mentoring through Accelerate partners with the goal of obtaining a summer internship. Accelerate also allows local companies and businesses to name their support in a meaningful way. Accelerate has grown from 10 Page Scholars with 1 corporate partner in the first year to now 50 Page Scholars who participate in multiple corporate partners’ campus events, activities, and paid internships. Overall, Accelerate

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ensures that the investment Page Scholars have put towards their education is maximized through meaningful networks and experiences.

College, Coffee, and Conversations Mentoring Have you ever wanted to ask the CEO of a company how they got their job? Here’s your chance. College, Coffee, and Conversations mentoring will connect you with a professional in Minnesota from any career field of your choice. There is minimal commitment. The two of you will arrange to meet for a 1-hour coffee date where you can ask them questions about their job, education, life experiences, and/or get advice and pointers on how to best make use of your college experience. To sign up, all you must do is complete a short form that tells us what skills and areas in your life you’d like to develop. We’ll then match you with your “coffee date” and send you their contact information. We will also include a gift card for coffee so that you can further impress your date by paying for the drink! College, Coffee, and Conversations is meant to help you build your professional network. It allows you to “shop” for a mentor without the odd experience of being paired up with someone who may not connect well with you.

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2. Scholar Calendar *This calendar will be constantly updated throughout the academic year. You will be notified via e-blast when there are new events added.

Month Happenings

*June • Attend Award Ceremony (Virtual)

• Begin your Service-to-Children Project

*July • Page Scholars Seminar (Virtual) will be hosted this year over a series of webinars offered throughout the year. Dates will be shared in July. Put the dates onto your calendar now.

August • Acceptance Form Due! (Aug 9)

• Page Scholar 101 (Webinar)

• Thompson Reuters Accelerate Panel (Webinar)

• PEF staff begins issuing payment to colleges and universities for Fall term

September • Owning Your Education as Young Men of Color (Webinar)

• Online Branding (Webinar).

• PEF staff continues issuing payment for Fall term.

*October • Service-to-Children Project Proposal Form Due! (Oct 31)

• Inner Critic/Inner Champion (Webinar)

• Financial Literacy (Webinar)

November • Career vs. Job (Webinar)

December • Estate Planning and Community Resources (Webinar)

• Finals and winter break

January • Reapplying for the Page Grant (Webinar)

• 2021 Page Grant Application opens (Jan 1)

• PEF staff begins issuing payment for Spring term

February • Scholars should have at least 50% of hours completed

March • Wrap-up your Service-to-Children Project

• Begin working on your Service-to-Children Evaluation Form

*April • Service-to-Children Evaluation Form Due! (April 1)

• 2021 Page Grant Application Due! (April 1)

Asterisks (*) above indicate a form is due that month. See section 2 – Required Forms for additional information

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Required Forms There are 3 forms that Page Scholars must submit annually in order to maintain their Page Grant. Details about each form and their due dates are listed below.

A. Acceptance Form Due: August 9 What is the Acceptance Form? The Acceptance Form is the first document you must submit electronically in order to receive your Page Grant for the year. By signing it, you agree to the conditions specified on the form and you provide the Page Education Foundation authorization to obtain your enrollment status with your school. PEF does not accept late Acceptance Forms. Failure or refusal to submit this form by the specified due date communicates that you are no longer interested or in need of the Page Grant. Once you have forfeited your Page Grant offer, the award is given to another applicant for the year. While we CANNOT restore your award status for any reason, you may reapply for the Page Grant the following year. Selected applicants attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities must return their Acceptance Form by July 31, 2020 due to the high volume of Page Grants we process for the institution. This is to ensure U of M-TC Page Scholars receive their grant payments in a timely manner and without accruing late fees.

B. Service to Children Project Proposal Form Due: October 31 What is the Service to Children Project Proposal Form? The Service to Children (STC) Project Proposal Form informs us where you will be carrying out your volunteer

Section 3

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service for the academic year. It is our official process for verifying whether your volunteer site meets the Service to Children Project guidelines and that you are on track to completing of 50 hours of volunteer service by April 1. The STC Project Proposal form must be completed with and signed by your volunteer site supervisor and submitted no later than October 31. Failure to submit your STC project proposal form will result in the immediate loss of the Page Grant for the spring term. While we CANNOT restore your award status for any reason, if you received a fall Page Grant payment, you may reapply for the Page Grant the following year once you have completed your 50 hours of volunteer service. We will not renew Page Grants for any Returning Page Scholars who has not completed their 50 hours of volunteer service to children. What if I’m not starting my Service to Children Project until spring? If you are not attending college until spring term, will be studying abroad, or will not begin volunteering until spring semester, you are still required to complete the proposal form by Oct 31. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your Page Grant spring payment. Can I turn in my Service to Children Project Proposal Form late? No. If you submit your STC Project Proposal Form after October 31, you will not receive a spring term payment and officially forfeit your Page Grant. Once you forfeit your Page Grant for the academic year, you may not be considered again for an award until you have completed your 50 hours of volunteer and reapply the following academic year. What if I am volunteering at multiple sites or change my volunteer site? If you decide to change your volunteer site, you must submit a new STC Project Proposal to notify us of the change. All sites must be verified prior to April 1. Your service to children volunteer hours will not be accepted if your volunteer site on your Service to Children Evaluation form does not match up with your site on your Service to Children Project Proposal form. What happens after you receive my Service to Children Proposal Form? Your volunteer site information will be verified upon receiving your STC Project Proposal Form. A PEF staff member will contact you if your volunteer project does not meet our STC project guidelines or if it needs to be verified. Respond immediately and provide the necessary information we are seeking. You are responsible for assisting us with the process of authenticating your volunteer project.

C. Service to Children Project Evaluation Form Due: April 1 What is the Service to Children Evaluation Form? The Service-to-Children Evaluation Form is an evaluation of the volunteer service that you performed during the current academic year. It must be completed at the end of your 50 hours of volunteer service by a site supervisor. This is the only form that documents the number of hours you volunteered for and the only proof that we seek regarding your completed hours. We do not require you to submit volunteer hour logs.

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What if I am volunteering at multiple sites? If you volunteered at multiple sites during the academic year, you must submit a Service-to-Children Evaluation form from each site. When you submit this form to us by April 1, the hours on all your forms should add up to 50 or more. Who completes my Service to Children Evaluation Form? The Service-to-Children Evaluation Form is completed by an individual who was overseeing your attendance and can provide the most accurate and beneficial feedback regarding your performance. This individual is typically the volunteer coordinator or classroom teacher you supported. Your Service to Children Evaluation Form must have your evaluator’s signature and be submitted by April 1. No part of this form may be left blank, especially the “Hours Completed” in Section A of the form. The hours documented on each form must be accurate and specific. Vague information such as “50 + hours” or “N/A” is not acceptable. All volunteer hour end dates must be on or prior to April 1. We do not accept forms with dates exceeding April 1. In no way is PEF responsible for following up with your volunteer site to ensure that they have submitted your Service to Children Evaluation Form or for obtaining missing information. If you are concerned with ensuring that we receive your STC Evaluation Form, YOU must follow up with your volunteer supervisor before the April 1 deadline.

D. Falsifying Forms Should we discover that any part of your form has been forged and/or falsified, this will result in the immediate forfeiture of your Page Grant. Any payments issued to you will be refunded to us by your Financial Aid Office.

E. Unsatisfactory Performance Evaluations The Page Education Foundation process feedback from volunteer sites and supervisors very seriously. As Page Scholars, you represent the Page Education Foundation and your actions affect other Page Scholars in our programs. The risk of one Page Scholar compromising the integrity of our program and jeopardizing opportunities for other Page Scholars is not something we take lightly. Unsatisfactory performance reviews from volunteer site supervisors will be investigated by our staff. If we determine that the unsatisfactory performance is a direct result of the Page Scholar’s actions, this may result in the loss of your Page Grant. To avoid receiving any surprised negative feedback, we strongly encourage you to check in with your volunteer supervisor often and report any issues you experience immediately to PEF staff members. We would appreciate learning about the issue directly from you so we can provide you with support or help you locate another volunteer site that will better match your needs. Should you have any questions about these forms, please contact the program staff immediately. All forms may be downloaded through the Scholar Portal at www.page-ed.org.

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Service to Children Project Details

A. Goal of Service to Children Project

As a Page Scholar, you help us fulfill our mission of encouraging Minnesota students of color to pursue post-secondary education when you volunteer in the community to encourage young children of color to see higher education as a possibility. As a volunteer you serve as a tutor, mentor, and role model to children in grades K-8th. Your goal is to help improve the academic standing of the children you serve, improve their attitude towards school, and help them to one day become a Page Scholar, too!

B. Service to Children Project Guidelines In order to have your Service-to-Children Project approved by PEF, your volunteer service must include all the following components listed below:

• STC Projects must serve children in grades K-8th. No volunteer service projects with preschool, high school, college or adult students will be approved.

• Volunteer roles and responsibilities within the STC Project must be direct work tutoring and mentoring children. No administrative work, daycares, babysitting, religious studies, sports & coaching, security and/or supervising, will be allowed.

• Projects must be performed in Minnesota with exception to University of Notre Dame Page Scholars.

• Projects must be academic (i.e. tutoring in core subjects, such as math, language arts, science, homework help. Any mentoring program must have an academic focus and activity.)

• All volunteer projects and hours must be completed by April 1 for Page Scholars to reapply for another year of funding.

• Page Scholars cannot perform service projects with family members or children in their same household (i.e. tutoring little brother) nor may they be supervised by family members.

Section 4

Page Scholar Isaiah Haupt Bachelor International Business

Saint Cloud State University

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Service-to-Children Projects with any of the following components will be immediately denied:

• With known biological relatives, e.g. tutoring your own children, nephew, nieces, siblings, cousins, etc.

• With preschool children (0-5 years), high school students, college students and adults.

• Not academic, e.g. bible study, babysitting, preschool day care, coaching/sports.

• With organizations/programs outside the state of Minnesota, e.g. tutoring while you are studying abroad.

• Monetary compensation is received, e.g. counting work study hours as volunteer hours.

• Supervised by family members or friends.

We will provide resources and assistance in helping you find a volunteer site. However, you are responsible for calling the site(s), setting up your volunteer service, finding transportation, and informing us about any issues you experience at the site or with your site supervisor. It is strongly recommended that you complete your Service to Children Project during the summer you are awarded the Page Grant. Getting your volunteer hours out of the way before school starts will benefit you significantly.

C. Finding and Selecting a Volunteer Site Your time is valuable. Keep in mind the following important factors when you are looking for Service to Children Project volunteer site. If you take these ideas into consideration, you will find a positive environment for volunteering and you will enjoy your experience. Children are considered a vulnerable population. Prior to being allowed to volunteer, most organizations and schools will require you to pass a background check and attend an orientation. Certain school districts in Minnesota will require that volunteers provide them with a social security number in order to run a criminal background check. Visit the school’s website to learn about their specific volunteer requirements. Do not wait until the last day the STC Proposal Form is due to contact a potential volunteer site. Know your personal focus and interests Having a clear understanding of your interests will be helpful in selecting a project. What skills do you have that you would like to share with others? Do you want to tutor in math, reading, or another academic subject? What do you want to learn and gain from this experience? Look for a high-quality volunteer site At the site where you plan to volunteer, are the individuals (staff/other volunteers) excited about your involvement? Do they have experience working with volunteers? Are they knowledgeable of the service-learning concept? Are they approachable and open to helping you if you have questions or concerns? Look for a structured volunteer program Does the program have clear expectations/requirements for volunteers? Do they have a volunteer job description for your position? Can you receive an interview or check out the program before you make a commitment? Does the program have a positive history and reputation in the community? Will you receive any training or orientation? The placement should involve “real” work Is the volunteer job focused on “busy work” or does it meet your needs of providing direct tutoring to children? How much contact will you have with children?

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Consider work site logistics Do the site hours fit with your academic, employment and social schedules? Will you have any transportation problems getting to and from the volunteer site? Opportunities for reflection, evaluation, and feedback How do you know if you are doing well? Do you get a chance to meet with other tutors to share experiences and learn from them? Do you have the chance to give the organization constructive feedback and evaluation of their program? Closing How does the program come to an end? Do you have the opportunity at the end of the school year to say a thoughtful goodbye to the children you have been working with?

D. Expectations from your Volunteer Site Your STC Project commitment must be the same as the commitment you would make to a paid job. The organization you volunteer with depend on you to meet the needs of the children you serve. You will know in advance your volunteer schedule and you are responsible for arranging your academic and social commitments around it. If you are unable to show up due to illness or a legitimate emergency, you are expected to call and e-mail your site to let your supervisor know that you will not be present. This shows you are dedicated to your role and responsible. You are a highly visible role model to the children you are serving. Your attitude and behavior will be observed very closely by them. Be a positive role model and always remind them that you are a Page Scholar. Your rights:

• To be given clear instructions and supervision

• To be treated with respect

• To be given work that is interesting and challenging, not work that is considered too mundane or trivial for the paid staff

• To have privacy and confidentiality respected

• To receive ongoing support and feedback

Your responsibilities:

• To find your own Service-to-Children Project (PEF staff can help make suggestions)

• To make sure you are adequately trained, including taking responsibilities for getting information from missed training sessions

• To make only those commitments you can keep

• To communicate effectively with program staff and supervisors, providing them with information about your work

• To make sure the program staff and supervisors have your current contact information and times you can be reached

• To communicate problems and other situations that arise in your service

• To contact the Page Education Foundation staff if you are encountering issues at your volunteer site

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Volunteer sites and their rights:

• To expect that you will show up to the volunteer site when you are scheduled for a shift.

• To expect that you will be appropriately attired at the volunteer site.

• To expect that you will take initiative and volunteer with a positive attitude.

• To give you instructions and directions based on their program’s expectations.

• To reprimand volunteers who do not show up to their scheduled shifts with no calls/no shows or require that you provide proof of documentation(s) for absences.

• To reprimand volunteers who have poor attitudes or refuse to follow instructions given by site coordinators.

• To require that you put your cell phone away during your volunteer shift.

• To ask they you commit to the entirety of their program (i.e. all year round)

• To terminate you from your volunteer service if they feel you cannot meet the organization’s volunteer expectations.

E. Volunteering with the Page Education Foundation Throughout the academic year, the Page Education Foundation will offer volunteer opportunities or professional development experiences to provide Page Scholars with supplementary volunteer hours. These volunteer hours are strictly supplemental, meaning they cannot be submitted on their own and must be accompanied by traditional service to children volunteer hours with children in K-8th grade. For example, if a service to children volunteer site can only offer you a total of 40 hours of tutoring and mentoring children throughout the academic year, you must seek out another volunteer site to complete the remaining 10 hours. Most volunteer sites will not want to onboard and train you for only 10 hours. As an option, you can volunteer at our annual All Star Gala to acquire 8 additional hours and at our annual Doggie Walk to acquire 2 additional hours. Altogether, your hours would now meet the 50 hours of volunteer service requirement. Page Scholars will also use supplementary volunteer hours with the Page Education Foundation to make up for sick days they may have loss at their volunteer site due to snow days or because they took time off during mid-terms and finals to study.

F. Non-Negotiable Volunteer Hours If you chose to accept only 1 semester payment (i.e. starting school in fall or spring semester) during the academic year or become ineligible for a Page Grant payment (i.e. become a part-time student in the spring) during a semester, you are still required to complete 50 hours of volunteer service in order to renew your Page Grant the following academic year. The 50 hours of service to children volunteer hours is not based on the dollar amount of the Page Grant you’ve received nor is it negotiable.

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Page Grant Payment Process You must be enrolled for a full-time credit load as defined by your post-secondary educational institution throughout the academic year to be considered for a Page Grant. If you have a medical situation that prevents you from registering for a full-time load, please provide appropriate documentation to the Page Grant program staff for consideration. Page Scholars who are not enrolled for a full-time credit load during any given semester forfeit their Page Grant.

Form(s) required to receive a fall semester Page Grant payment:

• Acceptance Form

A. Fall Payments In order to receive your fall semester Page Grant payment, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Electronically sign and submit your Acceptance Form by the specified due date listed on the form. 2. Report any changes (i.e. name, address, phone, email, school, traveling abroad, falling below full-time

status, graduation, problems that might affect your eligibility) throughout both semesters. 3. Maintain full-time enrollment status as defined by your post-secondary educational institution for the

duration of the academic year.

Form(s) required to receive a spring semester Page Grant payment:

• Service to Children Project Proposal Form (Due October 31)

B. Spring Payments In order to receive your spring semester Page Grant payment, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Submit your completed and signed Service to Children Project Proposal form by October 31. 2. Report any changes (i.e. name, address, phone, email, school, traveling abroad, falling below full-time

status, graduation, problems that might affect your eligibility) throughout both semesters.

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3. Maintain full-time enrollment status as defined by your post-secondary educational institution for the duration of the academic year.

C. Page Grant Award Amounts The total amount of the Page Grant award is listed below and will be paid in two installments shortly after the start of the semester. For schools running on a quarterly calendar, payments will be issue in September and January, or as requested by your post-secondary educational institution.

Fall Semester Spring Semester Total Award Amount

$750 $750 $1,500.00 2-year college award

$1,000 $1,000 $2,000.00 4-year college award

$1,250 $1,250 $2,500.00 GRAD college award

D. Page Grant Payment Process

Your post-secondary educational institution is notified about your Page Grant award the summer you are selected

as a Page Scholar. After the successful submission of your Acceptance Form and Service to Children Project

Proposal Form, we will inform the Financial Aid Office about the Page Grant amount you will be receiving along

with your Social Security Number or school identification number. Each college provides us with the number of

credits you are enrolled for in order to ensure that all Page Scholars are full-time. We then set up a payment

schedule with your post-secondary educational institution to avoid late charges or penalties.

Payments are processed after your school’s 2-week Drop/Add period. A program staff will notify you once a grant

check has been issued and sent to your college. We are not responsible for any fees or charges accrued by a Page

Scholar outside of the Page Grant (i.e. withdrawing from a course and owing the college a refund difference).

All checks are mailed directly to your post-secondary educational institution. We will NOT issue checks directly to

any Page Scholar, at any time, or for any reasons. We welcome inquiries from all Page Scholars, but most questions

regarding payments are best answered by contacting your financial aid office and/or business office. We should

only be contacted if there is a problem related to your Page Grant.

Our office can only confirm if a Page Grant payment was issued to an educational institution. The Financial Aid

and/or Business Office can tell you when the payment was received, how it was applied, and if you will be issued a

check for any remaining amount. They can also answer questions about your Federal Pell Grants, student loans,

and provide information on additional scholarship opportunities directly through your institution.

Once a grant check leaves our office, we cannot instruct your Financial Aid or Business Office to process the check

any faster than they normally would on a typical business day. We also cannot track where your check is going.

Each college has their own accounts receivable process and procedure. Contact the financial aid and/or business

office directly to find out about your school’s process.

Any information regarding college bills or payment records may be posted to your student online account. If you

need help accessing your student online account, please contact the I.T. department or Student Support Services at

your college. They can help you access your school’s online profile.

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We will not make early payments for any reasons. Page Scholars may use financial aid to support their student life,

but this is not a valid reason for us to expedite payments.

We also do not issue J-Term, May Term, or Summer Term payments and we do not retro pay any tuition bills.

E. Other Payment Related Topics

Preventing Payment Delays

To prevent a delay of your Page Grant payments, provide us with accurate information (i.e. correct student ID

number, correct spelling of legal name) and consistently update any changes with our staff.

Notify the PEF staff members if any of the following changes occur:

• Your full-time student enrollment status changes. You must be enrolled full-time in order to receive the

Page Grant throughout the academic year. If you are unable to register for full-time during the semester,

reach out to us. You may still be eligible to receive a Page Grant payment the following semester.

• If you withdraw from a course half-way through the semester reach out to a Page Staff and let us know of

your situation. We will work with you and your school to determine if a refund of the Page Grant should be

processed.

• You have a change in name, email, or home address.

• You are graduating. No payment will be issued if you do not inform us that you may be part time due to

your graduating status. Graduating Page Scholars in their final semester may be eligible for a full- or

partial-Page Grant payment.

• There is any information you feel will affect your Page Grant (i.e. traveling abroad, internships).

Traveling Abroad and National Student Exchange Programs

If you are a Page Scholar who will be traveling abroad for a semester or involved with a National Student Exchange

program and will be completing your semester out of state, you must inform the PEF staff members immediately.

Qualifying programs must be administered through your Minnesota post-secondary educational institution, and

you must have a tuition bill that is generated by your Minnesota state college and not the Host College. We will not

issue any payments to ANY out of state or country colleges under any circumstances. We are a local scholarship

organization and only issue payments to Minnesota schools.

If you are studying out of state, it is your responsibility to adhere to the eligibility guidelines of the Page Grant: Be

enrolled full-time as defined by your home college, complete 50 hours of Service-to-Children project with children

in the state of Minnesota by the April 1 deadline, and submit all forms by required due dates.

Graduating Seniors Enrolled Less than Full-Time

If you are enrolled less than full-time in your final semester prior to graduation, you may be eligible to receive your

remaining Page Grant payment. PEF will determine eligibility and decide on a case-by-case basis. Graduating Page

Scholars must complete our Exit Survey before being considered.

Request for transfer If you decide to transfer to another school anytime during the academic year, it is your responsibility to notify the Page Staff immediately so they can begin the process of moving your Page Grant payment over to your new school. Your notification can be as simple as an email letting them know of this upcoming change.

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Page Grant Renewal Process

The Page Grant is an annual renewable scholarship which means you must reapply every year to maintain the scholarship. To be eligible to renew your Page Grant you must have completed your 50 hours of volunteer service through the Service to Children program, have submitted your Service to Children Evaluation Form, and updated your Page Grant application by April 1. In preparation for the online Page Grant renewal application you will need to obtain the following documents:

• A copy of your parents’ tax forms for last year or the current year

• A copy of your most recent college transcript Returning Page Scholars are chosen based on the quality of their narratives describing their completed Service to Children Project, feedback from their volunteer site reported on the Service to Children Evaluation form, progress in studies (i.e. ability to maintain full-time status), and completion of the required 50 hours of volunteer service by April 1. Applicants will be notified in mid-June of their application’s status by e-mail and the notification will be sent to the e-mail address the applicant provided on the grant application. If selected, an Acceptance Form will accompany the award notification. Selected recipients must read and sign their Acceptance Letter electronically and submit it to the foundation by the due date specified prior to the distribution of any grant payments. Not all applicants will be selected as recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision as final. Returning Page Scholars have an opportunity to be selected for additional awards, including:

• Alma Foley Award

• John Morgan Award

• Kay Utsunomiya Award

• Dr. Sheldon Berkowitz Award

• Edward Sr. and Janet Meyer Award

• Degalynn wade Sanders Alumni Award

MN Vikings Training Camp Fieldtrip 2020 Section 6

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: Can I complete my 50 hours after the April 1 deadline? Exceptions will not be made to extend the volunteer deadline for many reasons. The first being that you have from June until April 1 (10 months) to acquire 50 hours of volunteer service. Second, you entered this program with a clear understanding that in return for your grant, you are to volunteer a minimum of 50 hours tutoring and mentoring children in grades K-8th. The Service-to-Children Coordinator is available to assist you with locating a volunteer site by posting volunteer opportunities through the Weekly Bulletins as well as helping you locate specific volunteer opportunities in your surrounding area. Your college campus also provides a service-learning office or community involvement fairs to help you locate potential volunteer sites. It is your responsibility to take initiative to secure a volunteer site for yourself and complete the STC forms on time. Few past exceptions that have been made for students who have a documented medical condition that prevents them from completing their hours (i.e. hospitalization). We require an official doctor’s note and the extension will only be provided until the end of July. Reasons for extensions such as hospitalization of a family member, being a new college student, being unable to start volunteering at a site because of conflict with schedules, transportation issues, school day cancellations, etc., are unacceptable. Q: Can I submit my Page Grant Renewal Application after April 1 since last year the deadline was May 1? No. April 1 is the NEW due date and anything after this date is considered late and will not be accepted. Q: Do I still need to submit the Service-to-Children Evaluation Form if I am graduating this year? Yes. Page Scholars in their graduating semester should submit their final Service-to-Children Evaluation Form to the Page Education Foundation for the following reasons:

1. If you decide to pursue a master’s or doctorate program in the future, you can reapply for a Page Grant! When you return to PEF, the first question we will ask is if you completed your 50 hours of volunteer service to children during your last academic year with us. If you turned in your STC Evaluation Form when you graduated, we will have that information on record. If you did not, we will send you on a journey back to the past to collect that information from your former volunteer site before you can reapply. Make the application process easy for yourself by submitting your final STC Evaluation Form while it is still fresh in your mind.

2. Your completed volunteer hours that you report via your STC Evaluation Form help us fundraise Page Grant dollars for the Page Scholars who come after you! Help them reach their dreams of post-secondary education just as your predecessors have helped you.

Q. What do I do if I am out of the country and have trouble submitting my forms? Notify PEF before you travel aboard so we are aware you are overseas. We recommend staying in contact with a friend or family in the state who can help you manage paperwork and documents while you are away. If you continue to have issues, reach out to us in advance before deadlines so that we can help you find a solution.

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Q. Do I still have to volunteer for 50 hours with children even though I am only receiving partial payment? Yes. If you chose to accept only 1 semester payment (i.e. starting school in fall or spring semester) during the academic year or become ineligible for a Page Grant payment (i.e. become a part-time student in the spring) during a semester, you are still required to complete 50 hours of volunteer service in order to renew your Page Grant the following academic year. The 50 hours of service to children volunteer hours is not based on the dollar amount of the Page Grant you’ve received nor is it negotiable. Also, the Page Grant is not a merit scholarship. We do not require Page Scholars to maintain a certain GPA in order to remain eligible. Our only requirement for Page Grant renewal eligibility is the completion of the 50 hours of volunteer service to children.

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Notes