COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A new initiative of the Iowa West Foundation is giving 45 Pottawattamie County students the chance to attend Iowa Western Community College for free. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Pottawattamie Promise aims to help future first-generation college students who qualify for a federal Pell grant, and those students who would not have considered college a possibility without assistance. The program will be piloted for three years in the Council Bluffs and Riverside community school districts.

The foundation estimates about 400 students in Pottawattamie County are falling into the gaps between existing education support systems. Each student will receive a scholarship that pays for tuition, room and board at the college. Advisors will also keep students on track with attendance and coursework.