CAPP Fund hopes to eliminate barriers to college for South Lake Tahoe seniors
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A new nonprofit hopes to eliminate one of the barriers to college — application fees.
College APPlication Fund or CAPP fund, is the brainchild of Kathy Haven.
“We just want to take away any possible barrier,” Haven said.
The fund, available to high school seniors on Lake Tahoe’s South Shore, would reimburse students for their college application fee. If students can’t cover the fee upfront, the fund will pay the fee for the students.
“It’s very unlikely we’ll turn anyone away,” said CAPP Fund chair member Cristi Creegan.
They want to make the fund application as easy as possible. It will ask students a few basic questions and asks them to put in one of their college application essay questions. If their answer isn’t written or edited well, they will sit with the student to rewrite their answer.
College application fees are generally between $45-$70.
“Not everyone needs to go to college, but if a four-year university is someone’s dream, I don’t want a college application fee to get in the way,” Haven said.
The CAPP fund has already raised $2,000. Many of the donations came from South Tahoe High School alumni including Kent and Becky Baer, Denise Lehman, Gina and Mike DeLoia, Dooley and Jeanette Riva, Tyler and Cheryl Cannon, Diana Evans, Wendy and Kerry David and South Tahoe Refuse.
Their goal for this year is $10,000.
Applications will be open in fall of 2020. Funds are available to any high school senior from South Tahoe and George Whittell high schools. There is no low-income requirement.
Creegan said she wants everyone who applies to get money and if money is still left over, students might be able to apply for a second application fee.
Haven hopes to expand their reach in future years including all schools in the basin and providing funds for AP tests, SATs and other funds that could prevent students from getting to college.
To donate to the fund, visit http://www.cappfund.org.
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