The August announcement a $35-million, 10-year program to will guarantee that every Richmond public school student who graduates from high school will receive full tuition to attend college had city leaders, school officials and students overjoyed with new possibilities in the Bay Area city that has already changed its image substantially.

“This is not just about giving checks to kids,” said Councilman Jim Rogers. “It’s about getting kids to want to go to college.”

The program is part of a $90 million package of community grants from Chevron Corporation as part of its recent agreement with the city on the terms of a $1 billion upgrade to its Richmond oil refinery. The scholarship component is set to begin in 2016 as the first check of $8 million was signed over in the summer of 2015.

Sponsors plan to leverage the $35-million gift into much more.