Question 4

Ascending Lights seeks candidates who are serving as Christian leaders in their churches, and who have the potential to become more effective leaders in the future. Candidates need to have served in their churches for a minimum of one year.  Their service activity must be in addition to their time attending regular Sunday worship.

Question 5: 

Successful candidates have at least 1-year of leadership in Christian service in their churches.  Please include any additional information which would be helpful to our understanding your candidate’s application.

Question 6: 

Ascending Lights has developed goals for participants in the areas of academics, spirituality, life skills, and leadership.  Please comment on your candidate’s potential strengths and weaknesses in each of these four areas and include any information which would be helpful to our understanding of your candidate’s current situation.  (You may need to have a conversation with the candidate in order to complete the four areas of this question)

Question 7: 

Participants in Ascending Lights often face non-academic challenges to completing community college and our program.  These challenges often come from family, social, medical or their work situations.

Question 8: 

Please give us your overall assessment of your candidate’s motivation and the likelihood they will complete community college and our program.

Question 9: 

Ascending Lights seeks candidates who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents, or in possession of a valid DACA Form I797. Please attach a copy of the candidate’s birth certificate or passport, Green Card or valid DACA Form I797.

Question 10:

Ascending Lights awards scholarship to candidates who have graduated from high school.  When considering a candidate, it is helpful to know as much as we can about their historical academic performance.  Proof of graduation is required in order to begin receiving benefits.

Question 11: 

Financial need is established by comparing the total of parent(s) and candidates incomes with the qualifying criteria:

• Living independently and receiving TANF, SSI, or General Relief; or

• Living with parents receiving TANF, SSI, or General Relief; or

• Having total household annual income in following ranges:

  • Single person living independently $42,800

  • 2 Person family $49,000

  • 3 Person family $55,200

  • 4 Person family $61,400
    
    Exceptions to these criteria are possible on a case-by-case basis.

Question 12:

In order for a candidate to be considered for a scholarship with Ascending Lights, all students (including seniors in high school) must complete a FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or CADAA (California Dream Act Application). Candidates are required to submit to us a copy of the FAFSA or CADDA Confirmation page in order to begin receiving scholarship benefits.

Question 13:

The Ascending Lights leadership development program requires a minimum of two years to complete.   Our funding sources expect that our students will be with us long enough to successfully complete our curriculum.

Benefits will end when the student has earned an Associate’s Degree or a Certificate of Completion in their chosen field from the college, or at the end of the Summer Semester of 2025, whichever comes first.

In the event that the student has not earned a Certificate or Associate’s Degree by the end of the Summer Semester of 2025, he/she will receive a one-time grant to cover their expected future benefit costs.  Mentoring benefits will not be provided beyond the Summer, 2025 semester.

Question 14:

Ascending Lights is not able to accept full-time church employees, or relatives of present or former students, pastors, or of full-time church employees.