PCC joins ‘I Have A Dream’ foundation to support graduates after high school

‘Dreamers’ from Forest Grove and Hillsboro get an $8,000 tuition boost

By Meryl Lipman

The Forest Grove News-Times, Aug 19, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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Portland Community College and the “I Have A Dream” Foundation have joined forces to make sure graduates of the IHAD-Oregon program get support into their college years.

PCC officials and IHAD leaders signed an agreement Aug. 7 on the Rock Creek campus to provide support and retention services for three Forest Grove School District IHAD classes, many of whose graduates are or will soon be studying at PCC.

In 1999, at the request of Pacific University and the Forest Grove district, IHAD-Oregon “adopted” its first third-grade class at Cornelius Elementary. That first class of “Dreamers” received consistent mentoring through the end of high school in 2008.

In 2000, a second class of third-graders was adopted at Echo Shaw Elementary School. That class finished high school last June, primarily graduating from Forest Grove High but with significant representation from Glencoe, Hillsboro, Liberty and Century high schools.

“We became aware that many of our students were headed to PCC Rock Creek,” said IHAD program director Lois Orner.

More than 20 students from the IHAD Class of 2008 enrolled at PCC Rock Creek last September, motivating IHAD to approach PCC.

“We received a very warm welcome,” noted Orner, and a pilot program was launched.

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