Promise programs open doors for students at Renton Technical College

By Reporter Staff • May 26, 2023 10:30 am
Renton High School graduating seniors Yaxyry Lomeli, Dechae Hester, Jayden Huggins, and Liliana Urias will attend RTC and benefit from Renton Promise. They are pictured with RTC President Yoshiko Harden, Rep. Steve Bergquist, RSD Superintendent Damian Pattenaude. (Courtesy photo)
Renton High School graduating seniors Yaxyry Lomeli, Dechae Hester, Jayden Huggins, and Liliana Urias will attend RTC and benefit from Renton Promise. They are pictured with RTC President Yoshiko Harden, Rep. Steve Bergquist, RSD Superintendent Damian Pattenaude. (Courtesy photo)

The new Renton Promise will allow eligible Renton School District graduates to attend Renton Technical College at no cost.

Renton Promise, an initiative spearheaded by State Rep. Steve Bergquist, will provide graduates of any Renton high school up to two years of tuition, regardless of grade point average (GPA), income, ability, or country of birth. Renton School District graduating seniors are eligible for the program within the first year after graduating high school. Renton Promise is a partnership between Renton School District and RTC to provide an opportunity for high school graduates to RTC.

Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) Students with questions can contact financialaid@rtc.edu.

“I am beyond excited about the Renton Promise program. Renton Promise provides a seamless pathway to RTC for Renton graduates. I spoke with a few graduating seniors ready to start at RTC in Fall 2023—each student expressed how excited they were to have financial support through the program,” said RTC President Dr. Yoshiko Harden. “We’re excited about the increased opportunities it creates for Renton students to succeed in college and career training programs and grateful to Rep. Bergquist for his advocacy.”

Bergquist previously secured funds for RTC to increase the number of Renton students enrolling in Running Start and Dual Credit options.

Another program, King County Promise, supports students ages 16-26 who have had an interruption to the traditional four-year pathway of high school completion and/or the means for meaningful, gainful employment. Eligible students receive a dedicated navigator to support their needs such as financial aid workshops, enrollment, advising, as well as an unrestricted equity grant of $1,000 a year to help cover any expenses they may encounter. Interested students should contact MaizyB at mbrown@rtc.edu.

Registration for Fall Quarter begins May 30.