Chevron’s $35 million Richmond Promise grant gives high school graduates a financial incentive and opportunity for college.  One hundred percent of Richmond residents attending Salesian College Preparatory graduate and enroll in college or university.  As Richmond residents, these Salesian graduates are very much a part of the City of Richmond’s present and future leadership.  Salesian graduates are residents, parents, police officers, fire fighters, educators, Chevron employees and business leaders in the community.

At a recent Richmond Promise meeting an assumption was shared that the Richmond Promise will have “a positive effect on our schools” as a paradigm of “equity, opportunity, collaboration, and resources.”  This paradigm is to be applauded if it provides equal opportunity for all of our Richmond graduates.  To fulfill this paradigm, the Richmond Promise requires equity for all Richmond graduates pursuing higher education.  To be inclusive requires opportunity for all. 

Salesian graduates from Richmond are as challenged as other area students.  More than 70 percent of our students received some amount of tuition grant or merit scholarship.  All Richmond residents deserve to be included in the Richmond Promise regardless of where they graduate high school.

By: Timothy J. Chambers, President and Principal, Salesian College Preparatory