A financial aid night, hosted by the Tamaqua Area high school guidance department, was held recently in the Tamaqua Area auditorium to provide high school students, their parents and other adults information about benefits of continued education via PHEAA and other means.

Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) Northeast Region Higher Education Partner speaker Cathy Caffrey and Tamaqua Area high school guidance counselor Frank Dickman spent time explaining all the benefits available to students and adults during the presentation. Caffrey pointed out that the low economy is a good reason to future anyone's education. In addition to the presentation, pamphlets and other literature was available.Dickman stated, "Over 90 percent of Tamaqua graduates attend secondary education, 52 percent start at LCCC and 39 percent attend elsewhere." Every Tamaqua high school student is required to do a four-year comprehensive career graduate project, which enforces the idea of secondary education.Caffrey added that PHEAA can also help adults, who don't already have a bachelor degree or higher, further their education. For more information on how to apply for educational financial aid, anyone can call Caffrey at (570) 826-1476 or visit

www.PHEAA.org.Tamaqua students are also encouraged to stop by Dickman's office for more information. Both Caffrey and Dickman stressed the availability of scholarships, grants, other opportunities available and the importance of filling out forms before the required deadlines. Another informative online resource is

www.LearnStudentAid.org.