State of Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson spent part of his Friday visit to Grays Harbor County at Hoquiam High School, in part to extol the virtues of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Washington ranks 48th in the United States in FAFSA applications, while Hoquiam High School specifically has a 23% completion rate for the forms.

Gov. Ferguson, the father of high school-age twins, first addressed the Associated Student Body (ASB) Board representatives and then spoke to a larger group of students in the Hoquiam High School Little Theater.

He discussed his path to the Governor’s Mansion, including his role as attorney general, the challenges of running for office, how he learned to take calculated risks as an international chess player, and how he developed his leadership skills and style.

He also participated in a question-and-answer session with the students, which mainly focused on infrastructure. The Hoquiam School District recently received $11.4 million in grant funding for the next phase in the development of two new schools, a 7-12 and a K-6.

“It’s the best part of the job. As the governor, you’re dealing with really challenging issues, you’ve got a lot going on, and you’re trying to move the ball forward, sometimes you don’t always see the results,” Gov. Ferguson said. “I feel fairly confident that I met some student there, I feel reasonably optimistic at least one student there is walking away thinking, ‘Maybe I need to check out that form, maybe I should fill out that form.’ I like being around kids and students, I enjoyed it.”

According to the official website, the Federal Student Office (FSA) “is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. … FSA is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grant, work-study, and loan funds to students attending college or career school.”

“It’s going to take a concerted effort to reach those students and their families,” Gov. Ferguson said. “I’ve asked my team, can I send a letter to every household of a high school student who might qualify and say, Hey, here’s this program, here’s where you go to fill out the form, here’s someone who can help you fill out the form. How can we better communicate this? In the meantime, I’m just going to travel the state and show up at high schools. We all need to do better.”

The Washington Student Achievement Council’s website states, “Many undergraduate students can cover some or all their college costs with the Washington College Grant (WA Grant) and/or Federal Pell Grant. … WA Grant provides need-based financial aid to income-eligible resident students pursuing education beyond high school. Award amounts vary based on income, family size, and the school or program attended.”

Hoquiam School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Villareal said Gov. Ferguson’s visit was invaluable for the students.

“It’s a great opportunity, Governor (Jay) Inslee made the effort to come out to Hoquiam, to have Governor Ferguson come out, just newly elected, what an opportunity,” Villareal said. “Hopefully, they understand what an opportunity to have someone of his stature in state government, and it shows we do matter, kids are the future, our Hoquiam kids are the future. I think it’s a great opportunity for our kids.”

Villareal believes the governor’s message to the Hoquiam High School students regarding money available for education or training is critical to their future.

“We want our kids to know there are opportunities, either locally or in the state, to go to school,” Villareal said. “It’s getting the parents to understand. Kids need to understand that any effort going to college doesn’t guarantee $1 million, it guarantees another door of opportunity. They need to see themselves in the future, if there’s monies to help (them) do it, if the states can provide some support that way, take advantage of it. That’s what we want our kids to hear. Any opportunity kids can get to learn and get experiences … things are changing so fast with technology, and what we need, we need a lot of people. We’ve got a lot of smart kids. If there’s funding to help them and get them going, why not? Build within our home. We’ve got a lot of great resources, we’ve got a college, there are jobs, there are opportunities here.”

Gov. Ferguson added communication is a challenge regarding the programs available to families and their children.

“(Today) the main mission is to communicate that Washington literally has, I think, the most generous financial assistance for kids from low-income families to attend higher education or get apprentice training for a trade where it’s all paid for,” Gov. Ferguson said. “I think, if you’re from a family of three, and your income is less than $66,000, your college education at your local community college or (University of Washington) is paid for, it’s not a loan, it is paid for. If you want to go into a trade, that training, paid for. How many people know that? In order to access this, you have to fill out this FAFSA form. It could unlock a career in the trades or higher education.”

The FAFSA form can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa, while information on the WA Grant can be found here: https://wsac.wa.gov/wcg.