By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD –The Rockford IceHogs are partnering with the four RPS high schools for Rockford Promise Night Sunday, March 17, as the team takes on the Texas Stars.

Students have been selling tickets to the St. Patrick’s Day game; $5 from each ticket goes to the Rockford Promise Scholarship Fund. The IceHogs will make an additional donation to the top-selling school.

“(It’s) a great opportunity for you to not only have fun and help the people of our community,” Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said of the partnership.

Rockford Promise is a non-profit, location-based scholarship program that offers full-tuition scholarships to deserving graduates of Rockford Public School District 205. Modeled after other Promise programs around the nation, it aims to increase the availability of college education among local students while providing an economic incentive for residents and businesses in the Rockford region.

In addition to full-tuition college scholarships, Rockford Promise strives to provide community mentorships, strong academic advising and social connections to ensure scholars earn their degrees and jump start successful careers.

The organization started as a grassroots effort of volunteers, education advocates, and what the organization calls “generous, forward-thinking donors.”

“Rockford Promise is a tremendous organization that reduces barriers for youth to attend college and further their education tuition free,” McNamara said. “We want to see that every child in the city of Rockford has the same opportunity to succeed. And the biggest barrier we know of is the cost of tuition. So, please, come on out and support your very own Rockford IceHogs on St. Patrick’s Day for a ticket price of $15 while also supporting or fantastic youth we have in our community.”

Tickets can be purchased at Rockfordpromise.org. Game time is 4 p.m. R.