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Rockies retire Helton’s No. 17 jersey

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS GEORGATOS
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Todd Helton brought the crowd at Coors Field to its feet again Sunday when the Colorado Rockies retired the No. 17 jersey of their longtime first baseman.

Helton, a career .316 hitter, retired after last season following a stellar 17-year career, all with the Rockies. He is the first player in the team’s 22-year history to have his number retired.

With his wife and two daughters looking on and in front of a full house that included many in the crowd wearing vintage Helton jerseys, the five-time All-Star thanked the city, fans, former teammates and his family for their support, and Rockies ownership for giving him his chance.

“Thank you all so much. What a great turnout,” Helton said during a ceremony before Sunday’s doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. “I’m proud to say I’m a Colorado Rockie for life. There’s no greater honor for me than having my number retired from the team that I put my heart and soul into.”

As part of the tribute, the Rockies unveiled a plaque bearing Helton’s No. 17 on the facade of the second-deck railing next to one bearing the initials of Keli S. McGregor, the Rockies’ late president, and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42, which has been retired by all of major league baseball.

During an earlier news conference, Helton said looking back, his steady approach to his job paid off in a tribute he never could have envisioned.

“I just came to work every day,” he said. “That’s all I did really. I showed up every day and played as hard as I could. Some days, that was enough. Some days it wasn’t, but that’s all right. To be honored for that, it’s truly special.”

Helton was far from ordinary, lending credibility to young organization trying to make a name for itself, becoming the face of the team to its fans and with his play helping the Rockies reach the World Series for the first time in 2007, though they fell short of the championship.

“It’s a tremendous honor I think for any athlete, but I think it means a great deal to a player that played his entire career here — that was all in for the state of Colorado and the city of Denver,” Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, a friend and former college football teammate of Helton at Tennessee, said earlier this week.

“Todd is the ultimate Colorado Rockie and so to have his No. 17 retired, it’s obviously a no-brainer. I think it’s special for the Rockies organization and all the Rockies fans that Todd was truly part of them for his entire career.”

Rockies reliever Matt Belisle, Helton’s former teammate, said he “set an example for what it is to be a gamer and a winner.”

During his news conference, Helton was asked if there was anything significant behind his No. 17. It turned out he was given the number during his first big league spring training camp.

“I showed up and it was in my locker and I certainly wasn’t about to say anything good or bad,” Helton said. “I just took the number and stuck with it.”

It sure worked out, for Helton and Rockies.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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