Hochul: Vaccinated kids will have chance to win full scholarship

The full scholarship includes tuition, fees, room and board and expenses “to any two-year or four-year New York State public college or university.”

News 12 Staff

Nov 9, 2021, 8:24 PM

Updated 1,071 days ago

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Children who get vaccinated against COVID-19 will also have a chance to go to a SUNY or CUNY school for free – an incentive announced Tuesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
According to the state website:
“The 'Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate' vaccine incentive scholarship is a five-week public outreach campaign, running through December 19, 2021, and consisting of a series of statewide drawings to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and provide incentives to New Yorkers 5-11 years of age to get a COVID-19 vaccine.”
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The full scholarship includes tuition, fees, room and board and expenses “to any two-year or four-year New York State public college or university.”
There will be 50 winners. Here’s how to enter.
The governor made the announcement at the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center in Westchester. She didn't put a timeline on when vaccinated students could take their masks off in school again – but said that the first step is getting more of them vaccinated.
This week, governors in neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania said masks in schools could come off as early as January.
A total of 75% of all New Yorkers have received at least one COVID-19 shot so far but the state is hoping more parents will get their kids aged 5-11 vaccinated before the winter.
Hochul said committing to a specific date is premature right now because there could be a post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases.
"I can't ignore the history. I hope that is not the case. I just don't have enough data right now to put a date on a decision, but that decision is forthcoming."