Dollar Bay girl still in contest for $10K

LANSING—Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer and members of the Senate Democratic Caucus have announced the commencement of the final round of voting in the #mi2020 Scholarship Competition at www.michigan2020.com/competition.

The $10,000 scholarship winner, and second and third place winners, will be determined by a combination of public vote and the votes of a panel of judges. The top ten students qualified for the finals by receiving the highest number of votes during the semi-final round of the competition in which nearly 30,000 votes were cast by people all across Michigan.

“From the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. to right here in Haslett and Okemos, these students have shown off their exemplary talent and creativity—the same skills that we want to foster in college and keep in the state after they graduate,” said Senator Whitmer. “Watching these kids’ passionate videos makes it clear that the need for affordable higher education transcends county lines and party lines, and support for the Michigan 2020 Plan to offer free college tuition to all Michigan high school graduates should as well. While we are excited to be able to help one of these ten students be able to attend college, it will be even more exhilarating when the Legislature takes up our plan to help them all.”

Students were asked to submit a short web video that explains the importance of investing in higher education and how the Michigan 2020 Plan to offer free college tuition to all students is the right investment for our state to make. Thirty-four students qualified for the semi-final round of the competition with the top ten vote getters moving on to the finals starting today.

The top ten videos can be viewed at www.michigan2020.com/competition and voting is open through Friday, May 31. The public is encouraged to vote either online or via phone or text message. Information on how to vote is available on the website.

More information on the Michigan 2020 Plan to provide college tuition for all Michigan high school graduates is available online at www.michigan2020.com.