With the Memorial Field bleachers deemed unsafe, Concord High School administrators reached out to NHTI earlier this year about the possibility of hosting this year’s graduation.
In response, they got a lot more than they bargained for: Not only will Concord’s community college host the event later this week, but the institution will also offer all graduates two free classes next fall.
The unusual class gift, called “Take Two,” will also extend to students at Merrimack Valley High School and Second Start, an alternative educational facility in the city.
NHTI President Patrick Tompkins said that when his institution received the graduation inquiry from Concord High, they brainstormed how they could honor the graduates. At first, they considered putting together a “swag bag,” but they quickly decided a scholarship would be more meaningful.
“This is NHTI’s way of saying to Concord: We really are your community college. We’re here to especially serve Concord residents,” Tompkins said in an interview.
The goal of the program is both to ease the financial burden of college for those already committed to attending NHTI and to attract students who might not otherwise have considered more schooling.
“It may take some young people who are on the sidelines and get them interested in post-secondary education,” Tompkins said.
Last year, 31 students from Concord High and 20 from Merrimack Valley attended NHTI as freshmen, according to Tompkins.
The school is projecting a total of 60 students will participate in the Take Two program next fall.
The program requires students to apply for federal financial aid and covers the difference between the aid they receive and the cost of the two courses. The maximum value of the scholarship is $2,040 per student.
“This is kind of a gap scholarship, and we’re trying to make the dollars go as far as possible,” Tompkins said.
NHTI estimated it will likely cost about $40,000 to fund the program. If enrollment exceeds projections, the maximum financial exposure would be $122,400, according to Tompkins. The money will come from an unrestricted foundation.
Tompkins surprised Merrimack Valley High School students with the scholarship offer earlier this week at the school’s senior awards night.
“It’s very exciting,” Merrimack Valley Superintendent Randy Wormald said. “Whether kids are going away to school somewhere or are not sure what they want to do, why not take a couple of free classes and test some things out?”
The concept of a scholarship for graduates from specific schools closely mirrors a program introduced by New England College in recent years, which offers reduced college tuition to alumni of certain area high schools.
Though NHTI’s offer applies only to this year’s graduates, Tompkins said he hopes to extend it past 2026, depending on the availability of funding.
