Union High School Named 6A OK Promise Champion For 11th Consecutive Year

Posted Date: 02/15/2023

For the 11th year in a row, Union Public Schools has been recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as the Oklahoma’s Promise 2023 State 6A Champion for having 172 seniors from the class of 2022 qualify for the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship.

In 2021, there were 191 who qualified for scholarships and in 2020, there were 167 students who qualified for scholarships. In 2019, 164 seniors qualified for scholarships, 154 in 2018, 152 in 2017, 129 in 2016, 158 in 2015, 174 in 2014, 166 in 2013, and 128 in 2012.

Union is one of eight Oklahoma high schools which have been named "Oklahoma’s Promise 2022 State Champions," leading the state in the number of graduates who met the requirements to receive an Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship.

Oklahoma’s Promise is a state program that provides an opportunity for students to earn a tuition scholarship for college or certain programs at public career technology centers. 

"The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship is transformational, helping students across the state achieve the dream of a college education," said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. "The State Regents and I commend these eight Oklahoma high schools for their exceptional work encouraging and supporting students as they aspire to become our state’s future educated workforce."

Students must enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise in the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade. Family income may not exceed the following levels at the time of application: $60,000 for families with 1-2 dependent children; $70,000, 3-4 dependent children; or $80,000, 5 or more dependent children.

Recognized as one of the top college access scholarship programs in the nation, Oklahoma’s Promise was created in 1992 by the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college. The scholarship pays tuition at any Oklahoma public college or university until the student receives a bachelor’s degree or for up to five years, whichever comes first. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private institution or public career technology center. The scholarship does not cover the cost of fees, books, or room and board.

To receive the scholarship upon high school graduation, students must achieve a minimum 2.50 GPA in 17 core courses that prepare them for college and an overall GPA of 2.50 or better for all courses in grades nine through 12. Oklahoma’s Promise graduates also must attend class regularly, stay out of serious trouble, and avoid drugs and alcohol. A student’s family income must not exceed $100,000 each year the student is enrolled in college.

Students completing the Oklahoma’s Promise program continue to be successful academically, with high school GPAs (3.47 average GPA) that exceed the state average and ACT scores that exceed those of non-Oklahoma’s Promise students. The college-going rate of Oklahoma’s Promise students exceeds the state average for high school graduates. They also have above-average full-time college enrollment, persistence and degree-completion rates. In addition, Oklahoma’s Promise college graduates are employed and stay in Oklahoma after college at a higher rate than non-Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.

In order to receive the scholarship in college, students must be U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the United States by the time they begin college.

For the high school graduating class of 2022, about 6,250 students met the requirements to be eligible for the scholarship. During the current 2022-23 year, about 14,000 students are expected to receive the scholarship in college.

For more information about Oklahoma’s Promise or to apply online, visit www.okpromise.org. Information is also available by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-858-1840.

High schools named Oklahoma’s Promise 2022 State Champions are:

Class B

• Champion: Indiahoma, with 11 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.  This is Indiahoma’s 3rd championship.
• Runners-up: Bray-Doyle and Timberlake, with eight Oklahoma’s Promise graduates each.

Class A

• Champion: Velma-Alma, with 15 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.
• Runner-up: Carnegie, with 13 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.

Class 2A

• Champion: Santa Fe South Pathways Middle College (Oklahoma City), with 29 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.
• Runner-up: Hobart, with 17 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.

Class 3A

• Co-Champions: Atoka and Dove Science Academy (Oklahoma City), with 23 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates each. This is Atoka’s 2nd championship and Dove Science Academy's 12th championship.
• Runners-up: Checotah and Dove Science Academy (Tulsa), with 21 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates each.

Class 4A

• Champion: Wagoner, with 36 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.
• Runner-up: Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast (Oklahoma City), with 33 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.

Class 5A

• Champion: Santa Fe South (Oklahoma City), with 88 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates. This is Santa Fe South’s 14th consecutive year as champion.
• Runner-up: Thomas Edison Preparatory (Tulsa), with 55 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.

Class 6A

• Champion: Union (Tulsa), with 172 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates. Union has been the Class 6A champion for 11 consecutive years.
• Runner-up: Broken Arrow, with 119 Oklahoma’s Promise graduates.