The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has announced Mineral County High School (MCHS) as the winner of the inaugural Nevada FAFSA Challenge. This statewide initiative aims to increase Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates among high school seniors in Nevada.
Located in Hawthorne, a rural community, MCHS achieved a 53.1 percentage point increase in FAFSA completion over the previous year, marking the highest improvement among participating schools. As a result, MCHS will receive a $1,000 prize and a custom recognition banner, which will be awarded at an upcoming NSHE Board of Regents meeting.
Amy J. Carvalho, Chair of the Board of Regents, stated, “The FAFSA is a gateway to opportunity, and Mineral County High School has shown what’s possible when a school community comes together to support students.” She added that the challenge was designed to improve access to higher education and praised MCHS for setting an inspiring example.
NSHE Chancellor Patricia Charlton commended the school's achievement by saying, “What Mineral County High School accomplished speaks to the power of intentional planning, community engagement, and a belief in what students can achieve. We’re proud to recognize their efforts and excited to see how this momentum grows across the state.”
MCHS attributes its success to a student-centered approach that included creating a senior seminar class focused on life skills, senior projects, and college and career planning. The school also collaborated with GEAR UP and Great Basin College to host a FAFSA Night attended by every senior with a parent.
Drew Schaar, Career & Technical Educator in Business Management at MCHS and one of the lead organizers of the school's FAFSA Challenge efforts said, “We were just the avenue of opportunity. The students created the success by driving home the importance of postsecondary education in rural communities.”
The Nevada FAFSA Challenge was open to high schools involved in NSHE’s FAFSA Completion Initiative—a data-sharing program assisting counselors in monitoring FAFSA progress and supporting students throughout the financial aid process.