Parents and Guardians of 5- To 11-Year-Olds Who Receive Their First Vaccine Dose by December 19 Can Enter Into the Random Drawing Here
Scholarship Includes Tuition, Room And Board
10 Winners per Week for Five Weeks with First Winners Announced November 24; Drawing Schedule Available Here
Today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced 10 second-round winners of New York’s “Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate” vaccine incentive program.
“Through the ‘Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate’ program, ten more young New Yorkers will be able to receive life-changing education opportunities at any SUNY or CUNY college or university,” Governor Hochul said. “As we enter the holiday season and the risk of transmission increases, it is absolutely critical that we stay vigilant. The vaccine is the surest way to keep you and your loved ones safe – it’s free, easily accessible, and most importantly safe for five- to 11-year-olds.”
Parents and guardians of children ages 5 through 11 who receive their first vaccine dose by December 19th can enter the “Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate” incentive program for a chance to win a full scholarship to any two- or four-year SUNY or CUNY college or university for their child. The scholarship includes tuition, room, and board.
- Tuition: The full cost of in-state tuition at a New York State or City University.
- Non-tuition Costs: Room and board and allowances for books, supplies and transportation up to the average cost at SUNY colleges.
- Residence: Students living on campus will receive a higher room and board allowance than commuter students. If housing is not available for students on campus, they will receive the same allowance as students living on campus.
Below is the list of winners. Other identifying information is not available to protect student privacy.
- Santiago K., Kings County
- Naomi F., Schenectady County
- Michael G., Queens County
- Baruch W., Westchester County
- Adalynn V., Onondaga County
- Keira H., Rockland County
- Michael G., Fulton County
- Griffin R., Monroe County
- Theodore F., Queens County
- Sophia S., Chemung County
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “Congratulations to the second round of winners of the ‘Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate’ program, for both getting protected against COVID-19 and having an impactful and high-value education at CUNY now awaiting them. We thank Governor Hochul for conveying the importance of vaccinating our children and commend parents and guardians across New York for taking this critical step to protect their children, and urge others to do the same.”
SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said, “We have to do everything we can to end this pandemic and vaccinations continue to be the best and safest way to do so. I thank Governor Hochul for her leadership by continuing to protect New Yorkers from this virus. I congratulate the second round winners of the Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate Vaccine Scholarship Incentive Program that will now have the opportunity attend our world-class SUNY schools tuition free while also doing their part to protect themselves and their families.”
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation President Dr. Guillermo Linares said, “Congratulations to the week two winners of the Vaccine, Educate, Graduate Vaccine Incentive Scholarship contest! This program is helping to incentivize parents of students who are 5-11 year’s old to get vaccinated and protect themselves, their family and their friends and help make their school campuses safe against the coronavirus. I encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated and help prevent the spread.”
Parents and guardians can enter on behalf of their eligible children here and those without internet access may call 1-833-697-4829 to submit an entry over the phone. New York State will administer the random drawing each week, and winners will be verified by the New York State Department of Health and New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.
Only one entry per child will be accepted, and children must have received their first COVID-19 vaccination at least one day prior to their entry. Entries will be carried over through all the ‘Vaccinate, Educate, Graduate’ program’s drawings. Additional information is available in the Official Rules.
Parents and guardians are also encouraged to visit the State’s new website, for information, frequently asked questions, and new resources about the COVID-19 vaccine and children. The State has recently added ready-made materials to support pediatric providers and localities administering the vaccine to children on-the-ground, including new posters and stickers available here.
New Yorkers looking to schedule vaccine appointments for 5- to 11-year-old children are encouraged to contact their child’s pediatrician, family physician, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies that may be administering the vaccine for this age group. Parents and guardians can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. Make sure that the provider offers the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, as the other COVID-19 vaccines are not yet authorized for this age group. At this time, New York State’s mass vaccination sites are currently being utilized for people aged 12 and older, while our #VaxToSchool pop-ups are focused on 12- to 17-year-olds. Additional programming and events focused on 5- to 11-year-olds will be announced soon.
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