Funding debacle still hurts class of '10

People say high school is the best four years of one's life. "Have fun!" they say. "Get involved! It only happens once in a lifetime!" For as long as I can remember I have associated the traditional high school experience with Friday night football games, pep rallies, friends, fun, classes, dances, parties and the last years of being "a kid." High school was supposed to be four years of fun.
Although I dreamed about the "traditional high school experience," I also dreamed about college. I was more excited to start college than high school. So when I found out about the New Century Scholarship program I couldn't believe it. The program sounded too good to be true!
The New Century program combines college and high school by enabling high school juniors or seniors to take college classes at the high schools and dually receive college and high school credit. Unlike AP classes, concurrent enrollment classes guarantee college credit to a student with a "C" or above. The state of Utah also promised that students who finished their associate's degree by the summer after their senior year of high school would receive a 75-percent tuition scholarship to the in-state, public university of their choice.
I was sold the minute I heard about it and dedicated myself to earning a two-year college degree while still in high school. Although some said I was crazy, for the past two years I have taken summer semester classes, night classes and weekend courses at Weber State University to achieve my degree. Like hundreds of other motivated teens in Utah, I have sacrificed hours upon hours of my high school experience to do this. We, the New Century participants, have taken double the course work, spent many nights at our desks, and studied when we should have been out having fun and the "traditional high school experience." We took a risk and traded away tradition for something more -- a dream.
We all know that the economy has taken a devastating turn and with that, everything must be put in perspective. Recently, the state announced that the New Century 75-percent tuition scholarship would be reduced to 40 percent for this coming school year and 25 percent for the fall of 2010. Now, due to the tremendous public outcry, the state has backtracked and assured that teens starting college in a matter of days will still be covered by their hard-earned scholarships.
This is marvelously great news because a matter of days ago, hundreds of teens were panicking about unexpected tuition bills. Now, I applaud the state for holding up its end of the bargain for this year's college freshmen, but what about the high school seniors? Yes, the class of 2010. Hundreds of them have already dedicated one to two years of hard work on their associate's degrees. So far the state hasn't made a statement about what will become of the class of 2010's scholarships, and I can't help but wonder what will become of the promises that were made to us.
I think the state should "grandfather" the class of 2010 and make good on its promise of a 75-percent tuition scholarship. If the program must be discontinued, it should be done after the class of 2010 because we are almost to the finish line. I feel as though I am being tripped just inches from the goal.
The big deal isn't the money; it's the principle. We have been promised something and now, when we have fulfilled our end of the bargain, the benefactor is backing out. My father always says, "Words are cheap," and I believe that. The state should honor its commitment, not just talk about it, because we have honored ours.
However, even if the state doesn't honor its commitment, at least there was an opportunity, if even for a short while, to further education beyond the "traditional" high school limits. When I think about those who told me I was giving up a traditional high school experience, I have to laugh because they were somewhat right. I haven't had a "traditional" experience, but I wouldn't trade the knowledge and experiences I have gained for anything. Even now, when it seems everything accomplished might have been in vain, I don't regret my choice to push for my associate's degree for one second.
They can take away the scholarship, but they can never take away what I have learned, because knowledge is priceless.
Megan Leonardi is a senior at Fremont High School. She likes to write, loves school and loves the great outdoors. E-mail her at meleonardi@msn.com.