ScholarCHIPS marks 15 years with largest scholar class

ScholarCHIPS is celebrating its 15th anniversary with its largest and most geographically diverse cohort of scholars, spanning Washington, D.C. and 11 states. Securus Technologies has helped expand access to scholarship information through secure correctional-facility tablets and is adding $50,000 in scholarship funding.

Why it matters: - ScholarCHIPS is reaching more students impacted by parental incarceration at a time when awareness and access can determine whether families ever find scholarship support. - The organization’s expanded reach could help more children move from information barriers to college opportunity. - Securus Technologies’ tablet distribution adds a new channel for reaching incarcerated parents directly inside correctional facilities.

What happened: - ScholarCHIPS will celebrate its 15th cohort of scholars at its Annual Awards Ceremony at the Historic National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on July 10, 2026. - The new class is the largest and most geographically diverse in ScholarCHIPS history. - The cohort includes students from Washington, D.C. and 11 states. - Since 2024, Securus Technologies has helped ScholarCHIPS place scholarship information on more than 550,000 secure tablets in correctional facilities nationwide. - Securus is also providing $50,000 in scholarship funding.

The details: - ScholarCHIPS was founded 15 years ago on the belief that a parent’s incarceration should not determine a child’s future. - Since launch, ScholarCHIPS has invested more than $700,000 in scholarships and support services for more than 120 scholars. - ScholarCHIPS support includes mentoring, mental health resources, emergency support, technology, professional development and an alumni network. - Families can use the tablet-based information to learn about scholarships, share opportunities with loved ones and connect children to educational resources. - ScholarCHIPS says applications have increased more than 900% since the scholarship became available through secure Securus tablets. - Additional information about ScholarCHIPS programs is available at ScholarCHIPS. - More information about Securus Technologies is available at Securus Technologies.

Between the lines: - The growth in applications suggests the biggest barrier may not be interest, but access to information. - Reaching parents where they already communicate with family gives ScholarCHIPS a path into a population that may not encounter traditional outreach. - The partnership blends philanthropy with distribution power, which can amplify a nonprofit’s reach without changing the core scholarship model. - Yasmine Arrington Brooks, founder and executive director of ScholarCHIPS, said the partnership has helped the organization reach families it may never have reached otherwise. - Shamia Lodge, director of community engagement at Securus Technologies, said the tablet channel turns technology into a bridge for families seeking educational opportunity.

What's next: - ScholarCHIPS will continue using scholarships and support services to help college-bound students impacted by parental incarceration. - Securus’ tablet distribution gives the nonprofit a larger pipeline for future applicants as more families learn about the program. - The organizations are positioning access to information as the next lever for expanding educational opportunity.

The bottom line: - ScholarCHIPS is pairing direct student support with a broader outreach channel, and that combination is bringing more families into the scholarship pipeline.