One-on-One student project - Student Financial Aid

We help needy students pay tuition to attend school from elementary school through high school. In special cases, we also assist with living expenditure.

The level of assistance is determined by taking into account the local living standard, the family financial condition, and the student needing additional help, e.g., an orphan, a physical or a mental challenged student.

Qualification

A student is qualified for Spark Education assistance program if he or she is starting or is attending school and meets the poverty thresholds set by local government; A onetime scholarship award is possible for a graduating high school student, who has been in our program, upon entrance to a college.

Assistance Category

Four levels of financial aid are offered according to the school system. The figures below are for one academic year. The currency exchange rate will be adjusted based on the market value in every summer.

  1. An elementary school student: RMB￥1000
  2. A middle school student: RMB￥1500
  3. A high school student: RMB￥3000
  4. A new college student - voluntary one time support: RMB￥3000

Operation Procedure

Our organization is a close-knit community. We operate on a personal basis. We keep contact with students through family visitations, personal interviews, phone calls, letters, and e-communications.

Here is a detailed description of the operation procedure.

    1. Interview a potential student candidate: A field-volunteer pays a visit to the student's home to obtain first-hand information of the student and his/her family. At the conclusion of the visitation, he fills out a "Family Visitation Form" which includes information of family members; financial condition; a student's statement, a summary report, a teacher's recommendation, and pictures of the student, family and house.
    2. Screen the candidate: We base on the results of the family visitation, the teacher's opinion, and other reverent information to determine if the student is indeed qualified for financial assistance.
    3. Match a potential donor with the needy student: We circulate the student's "Family Visitation Form" and photos among potential donors.
    4. Introduce the donor to a field-volunteer and the recipient student: Forward the sponsor's information and the donated money to a field-volunteer to deliver to the recipient student.
    5. Deliver the money to the student, twice per academic year. Have the student sign a "Proof of Assistance Form" and fill out a "Family Visitation Follow-up Form".
    6. Promote the interaction between the students and their sponsors: The students from junior high school and up are urged to write to their sponsors.
    7. To streamline the operation, a field-volunteer sends a copy each of "Family Visitation Form", "Proof of Assistance", "Family Visitation Follow-up Form", and the students' letter to an American volunteer while send the original copy to the coordinator who oversees the activities in China.

The following three items are performed by a volunteer in the US:

  1. Write letters to all high school students once a year; encourage sponsors writing letters to their respective students.
  2. Write to graduating high school students encouraging them to prepare for the upcoming college entrance exam.
  3. Notify the sponsors regarding donation for the next academic year in June. The notice includes the "Proof of assistance Form"; "Family Visitation Follow-up Form" and the student's letter.