EDUCATION: HOPE offers possibilities to Georgians

Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program, championed by then-Gov. Zell Miller, began in 1993. Miller spoke about it in his state of the state address that year.

“I propose a unique and far-reaching scholarship program called HOPE — Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally. There will be nothing else like it in the United States. It has never been more important for our students to go to college, but it has never been harder for their families to pay for it.”

In a 1996 speech, Miller said, “Technology seems to hold out the promise of improving our quality of life … Yet we often seem unsure of our ability to reach out and fully grasp it.

“Education is the solution to that dilemma. Education is the key to reducing crime and welfare, the key to promoting understanding and tolerance, the key to generating economic development and creating jobs. Yet at the same time that education has become more essential to our economic health and our quality of life, the cost of college is rising out of reach for more and more families. That’s why I created HOPE … to all Georgia students who graduate from high school with at least a B average.”

From “Listen to this Voice: Selected Speeches of Governor Zell Miller.”