Students win with the Lottery in 2010 without ever buying a ticket

Students in central Kentucky last year received nearly $55 million in college scholarships and grants paid for by Kentucky Lottery proceeds. This is according to newly-released figures from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). These funds were used to award more than 35,500 scholarships and grants to Central Kentucky students.
Statewide, more than $189.4 million in Kentucky Lottery proceeds paid for more than 122,700 scholarships and grants awarded during the 2010 fiscal year.
“The millions of dollars awarded through Kentucky’s need-based grants and KEES scholarships would not be available without lottery proceeds,” said Edward J. Cunningham, Executive Director/CEO of the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority and Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation.  “In fact, the Kentucky Lottery provides over 96 percent of the state student financial aid dollars that Kentucky students depend on to help pay for college or technical training.”
Since the Lottery-funded scholarship and grant programs first started in 1998, more than 1,185,000 awards worth $1.55 billion have been distributed to Kentucky students. 
“There’s no better investment in Kentucky than helping our young people increase their level of education,” said KLC President and CEO Arch Gleason. “I’m really proud Lottery proceeds we turn over to the Commonwealth go to helping Kentucky’s best and brightest pursue their college or technical school degree.”
Lottery proceeds are used to fund the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program, College Access Program (CAP) grants and Kentucky Tuition Grants (KTG). KEES is a merit-based program, allowing any Kentucky high school student who attends a certified high school and achieves a 2.5 or higher GPA to earn scholarships to help pay for higher education at any eligible Kentucky college or technical college.  CAP is a need-based grant program to provide access to Kentucky’s financially neediest students.  KTG is a need-based grant program for students attending Kentucky’s independent institutions.
For more information on how to obtain a Lottery-funded grant or scholarship, go to www.kheaa.com, call 1 (800) 928-8926, or contact the guidance counselor at your local high school.
Editor’s note: The Kentucky Lottery has earned more than $3.3 billion for the Commonwealth since 1989.  KLC dividends pay for college scholarships, grants and literacy programs. Visit www.kheaa.com to find out more about grants and scholarships paid for by the KLC.

Students win
# of KEES recipients - 340
Amount of award - $468,881

# of CAP recipients - 226
Amount of award - $357,000

# of KTG recipients - 189
Amount of award - $467,561