He Brought Scholarship with Him

Howard Hinesley had the same teachers all the way through high school in the small town of Warrenton—one for English, one for science, one for history, etc.

Relationships were formed.

And when he went off to the University of Alabama, he kept those memories close. 

But it was a college class where he dealt with handicapped children that spurred him on in his education career. Hinesley told the Daily Tribune News that he enjoyed seeing his students overcome challenges.

"These experiences led me to pursue a graduate degree in special education," said the 64-year-old Cartersville school superintendent, "which provided me the opportunity to work with some wonderful, hard-working students."

Hinesley taught for a while, then went into administration in Florida. He wasn't much of a fan of the state, too hot even for this Georgia boy.

"But we stayed for 26 years," he said laughing recently in his large office in Cartersville. Pictures and plaques from a career in education line the wall.

Hinesley was the superintendent of the Pinellas County, FL, school district for years. He implemented a need-based scholarship program there that went statewide.

When Hinesley retired and moved back home, taking the job in Cartersville, he started a similar program there.

"I think the vision he brought to (the Cartersville School Foundation) was something sorely lacking," said Brian Edwards, the president of the foundation.

Hinesley is the "driving force behind" the scholarship, Edwards said.

Now Georgia officials are looking at GateKey Scholarship program to implement in three pilots next fall: in , Rabun and Bulloch counties.

The program here, called the REACH Scholarship (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen), will identify low-income middle school students with college potential and provide them with support through high school. Students who complete the program will receive a tuition scholarship.

"The students who buy into the program, it could be the one thing that helps them make better choices," Edwards said.

The GateKey scholarship in Cartersville requires a C average in academics and holds students accountable for their behavior—they are required to remain crime- and drug-free. The students and their parents actually sign a contract.

The Cartersville Schools Foundation, which oversees the program, collects money from private donors.

In 2010, 50 scholars were in the program, some as young as 10. The first two GateKey kids were homeless, Hinesley said. The students end up becoming close and keep tabs on each other, said Lisa Bell, who runs Cartersville's program.

Kids can drop out of school for the craziest reasons, and it's important to catch kids early, Bell said.

"They may not have the supplies for a project, so they just drop out," she said. "Many of them will be the first high school graduates in their family."

Hinesley, a father of three and grandfather of two, grew up in Warrenton and attended Warren County High School. One reason he returned home seven years ago was the fact that his parents were aging. His father has since died.

Hinesley, an avid wildlife enthusiast, has bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Alabama. He lives in Cartersville with his wife, Susan, and their, dog Mickey.