While having sufficient finances for college is critical, that is only one aspect of Grateful Nation’s focus. In addition to the normal struggles faced by any teenager, these kids are growing up without a father (currently, all fallen Montana soldiers are men) and may be further burdened with the emotional consequences of such a loss.
Grateful Nation recognizes that any teenager entering college must have certain basic educational, emotional and social skills in order to succeed. To ensure the development of such skills before they even apply to college, Grateful Nation has designed an outreach program that will be available to them during their junior high school years. In conjunction with the colleges and universities, the outreach program will include invitations to campus events (sporting events, homecomings, theater, etc.), scholastic tutoring by faculty members and students, and counseling for emotional or family issues. With regular exposure to campus life combined with tutoring assistance and counseling, these kids should grow up confident that they will succeed in college and beyond.