Republican state lawmakers are hoping to help send a particular group of at-risk kids to college – those whose parents are addicted to opioids and other drugs. Republican House leaders hope to create the program with legislation being introduced soon.
OhioCorps would create community opportunities for high school students to earn money for college, and then once in one of Ohio’s 14 public universities, they’d earn college credit for mentoring children of addicts in middle and high school. It’ll likely start as a pilot program in hard-hit southern Ohio. Daisy Tolliver is a freshman at Waverly High Schoolin Pike County, and wants to major in business to open a dance studio.
“It’s like a new future and something we grew up – we didn’t see that stuff, with our moms doing drugs, our father, alcohol, everything. It’s just a goal that we can strive to get at it.”
There’s no word on how much OhioCorps would cost in state funds, but Speaker Cliff Rosenbergersays he’s also approached big drug makers to pitch in some money.