Jun. 13, 2005 - 19:35 MDT

I KNEW MORE

Wonder if I missed something on this before ? An article in the Rocky Mountain News this morning by John C. Ensslin of the same paper piques my interest. In full:

14-year-old now CSU-bound

Ineligible for aid, teen gets tuition help from an anonymous donor

"Rossi Guliani spent Sunday packing for college."

"Today, he will start taking classes at Colorado State University in Fort Collins (Colorado). Next week, the Adams County youngster will turn 15."

"His birthday present arrived a bit early on Friday, when an anonymous donor picked up the $2,700 tab for Guiliani's summer session tuition."

"The donor, a CSU graduate, came forward after hearing that Guiliani had been admitted to CSU only to discover that he was ineligible for any federal financial aid."

"Initially, CSU officials had offered the teen a package of $9,420 in federal loans and grants on the condition that he prove eligible."

"But because Guiliani had skipped high school, had no diploma and was too young to get a general equilvalency diploma, the offer was withdrawn."

"CSU officials confirmed last week that Guiliani had been admitted as a student but said there was nothing they could do about the federal financial aid requirements."

"His mother, Diane Maldonado Bell, said she was stunned when the donor called last week, offering to pay her son's tuition for the eight credits he plans to take this summer. It took some time for the call sink in, she said."

"I was speechless," she said. "When he called and said he paid it, I said, "OK, goodbye," and I hung up." She quickly called the donor back, apologized and thanked him. "What do you say ?" she said. "You don't know what to say."

"Her son -- not known for saying a lot -- said it best: "I'm appreciative. It's a lot less stressful."

"He starts classes today in general psychology, Java programming, a computer lab and weightlifting."

"If he is able to complete the courses, Guiliani said, he can start in the fall as a sophomore, based on credits he earned last year at Front Range community College."

"Guiliani is not eligible to obtain a GED because of his age. After talking to state officials last week, Bell said, she understands why educators have that age requirement. Most children benefit from attending high school, she said."

"In her son's case, however, skipping high school seemed like the right thing to do, she said. "He kind of lives in his own world," she said. "He's a lot more mature than other kids his age."

"But she did not want an exception made that would create a bad precedent, she said."

"I think more people would be harmed by that than Rossi would be helped," she said."

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Seems like it is all money nowadays. I wonder if Rossi had the cash would he have been permitted in the University ? Were the officials of the Uni figuring that Rossi couldn't qualify for the federal loans and grants and thus they could put on a good face and have it both ways ? "Yeah, you can come to Uni here . . . . if you qualify for a federal loan and grants," now that would put them in a light of acceptance. But was it really ?

I wonder if I missed news items some time ago. I would like to know more about this young man who is forging ahead on his own incentive. Seems to be an exceptional person and certainly seems to appear that way to the anonymous donor.

I gives me a thrill to think that possibly there will be one person who educates himself, albeit with help from the world of academia, to the point that he can spend the rest of his life doing exactly what he has always dreamed of doing.

That is one thing I tried to slant my grandchildren toward, making a survey of the income they could expect while doing what they desperately wanted to do and deciding if they still wanted to go that route.

Wouldn't it be great if all young people worked it out for themselves to make the wisest decision one can make ?

About young Rossi, I wish him well in his endeavors, it would be so nice if I KNEW MORE . . . . . . . .

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