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Search party for missing MoCo kids Saturday

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON — Volunteers were amassing for an on-foot search for missing local children Sarah and Jacob Hoggle on Saturday morning and will continue on Sunday,begining 8:30 a.m., if they come up short.

WTOP spoke with the sister of Catherine Hoggle,27, who is in jail and charged with two counts of child neglect and obstruction. Reportedly suffering from schizophrenia, Hoggle has so far refused to tell police where her two children are. Police said Monday they believe the children are dead and were building a homicide case against her.

Her sister Carly Hoggle, who was manning a table at the staging area Saturday, told WTOP that her sister is “much more than mental illness.”

“She is kind, she is caring, she is an incredible mother — she loves her kids so much.”

The search is open to the public. Volunteers met Saturday morning in the parking lot of Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Maryland. Volunteers, who came from all over the community, were given directions on how to focus search efforts, including flyer distribution, and hiking local trails. They were also given a specific area to cover with other volunteers.

Germantown resident Allan Smith came to the search with his dog Kallie Saturday morning. “We’re here to help the father find his young ones and that is what my dog and I are here to do, and we’ll do our very best.”

Police have already searched more than 14,000 acres of the area and recently expanded the search to now include Germantown and vicinity. The community search was billed as a group effort to supplement the work the Montgomery County Police Department is already conducting to find the Hoggle children and bring them home to their family, according to Montgomery County Police.

Both Jacob and Sarah have been missing from the Gaithersburg area for almost two weeks. They were last seen with their mother, Catherine Hoggle, who was detained last Friday night and has been in police custody since. Catherine Hoggle is now being charged in the disappearance of her two children.

Sarah is described as a biracial female, 3’6″ tall, weighing 40 pounds, with brown eyes and medium length brown hair. Jacob Hoggle is described as a biracial male, 3’0″ tall, weighing 25 pounds, with brown eyes and a curly, blond Afro hairstyle.

Any volunteer is asked to practice safety measures while at this event including:

  • Wear proper gear (for hikers that means boots, pants, hats, bright colors) and for other search volunteers are asked to wear sneakers or comfortable walking shoes).
  • Stay hydrated
  • Ensure personal safety while volunteering by bringing a cell phone.

There is a cash reward for information leading directly to the safe return of Sarah and Jacob. For more information on the search and donations for Sarah and Jacob Hoggle, the public can visit an online site or the community Faceb ook page that have been set up to help the seach.

WTOP’s Jamie Forzato contributed to this report

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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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