| Historically, the middle class of this nation has | | | | their children to start taking a serious look at |
| always been a huge class of consumers. While | | | | what grades and point averages can mean. |
| wages and the jobs, themselves have taken a | | | | Where once good grades generally only mattered |
| hard hit by the spiraling economic downturn, the | | | | for passing a subject, and ultimately, getting out |
| ARRA sets the stage to give back, to the | | | | of high school, kids are being asked to look at |
| greatest class of Americans the consumer credit | | | | their final 4 years of schooling as a great |
| and security that once was the backbone of the | | | | opportunity to up the ante on just what's going to |
| US economy. | | | | be out there for them both when they enter |
| President Barack Obama signed the American | | | | college, and when they graduate with a degree, |
| Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on | | | | and enter the workforce. Specifically, it has been |
| February 17 of this year, which now provides | | | | suggested that degrees in technology, science and |
| funding through grant programs to strengthen and | | | | math will earn better chances at landing jobs |
| broaden America's middle class. | | | | within careers utilizing these high demand skills. |
| Such grant funding will help also to raise those | | | | Preparation for a career in high demand is the |
| living just at or below the poverty line to a | | | | best way to prepare a child for success. |
| standard of living that allows those individuals the | | | | Our government is giving this nation a new |
| opportunity to excel in their own lives without | | | | chance to shine as a country of intelligence and |
| having to exist only upon government programs. | | | | innovative thinking. Students excelling now in |
| Although much of the funding for ARRA is geared | | | | today's schools will help revive not only the |
| to extend current, in-place program benefits, new | | | | economy for America's middle class, but also the |
| measures have helped to benefit people, no | | | | focus of this country upon education, bringing it to |
| matter the class. Instead, these new grant | | | | the forefront of priorities for this nation, as a |
| programs will focus on an individual's determination | | | | whole. Without good, moral, educated people, a |
| to be a productive American, not just one that | | | | civilization will perish upon the sword of its own |
| can file for programs designed for the needy in | | | | barbaric ignorance. The ARRA is the Federal |
| this country. | | | | government's reinvestment in America's future, |
| Such hand up rather than hand out programs | | | | and should be applauded by all Americans, as we |
| include the college assistance funds. Thirty billion | | | | will now have a new chance to show we, as a |
| dollars in funding is ready to be given in $4000 | | | | people, strive to be a productive and positive |
| and $10,000 dollar awards to students who | | | | influence upon not only our own country, but that |
| graduate with high scores from the nation's high | | | | of the world. |
| schools. State officials are now urging parents and | | | | |