Knox County Middle School and Lynn Camp Middle/High School are ending the semester with celebrations promoting college readiness and a national honor.
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These two schools are among only 25 schools in the nation to be recognized as 2012-13 College For Every Student (CFES) “Schools of Distinction” for their efforts in creating high levels of college readiness and for raising aspirations among their students.
“Attaining ‘School of Distinction’ status is a yearlong endeavor that recognizes successful school journeys to build college readiness school wide,” said CFES President & CEO Rick Dalton.
“Only five schools in Kentucky have ever received this honor, with two of those being in Knox County,” said Kelli Moore, service coordinator for Berea College’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant which partners with CFES. “That speaks very highly for the Knox County School District.”
CFES recognizes schools that have exemplary programs incorporating the three CFES core practices: leadership through service, mentoring, and pathways to college.
Schools are assessed through their end-of-year portfolios and final reports. Through photos, statistics, writing samples, and written initiatives, schools document their leadership through service activities, mentoring programs, campus visits and college knowledge attained by their students. They also demonstrate student gains in attendance, academic achievement, and citizenship.
“These schools are the best of the best and I congratulate them for their great work in giving their students opportunities that are putting them on the path to college,” said Dalton.
Tonya Allen and Chance Hendrickson, GEAR UP academic specialists at Knox County Middle and Lynn Camp Middle/High respectively, designed the schools CFES programs, documented them, and compiled the schools’ entries for the School of Distinction competition.
“Without academic specialists willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, this recognition would not be possible,” said Moore. “I am so proud and pleased to see these schools, this district, and these academic specialists recognized for their outstanding work.”
Over the last 22 years, CFES has helped make college a reality for more than 75,000 low-income, first-generation youth by raising academic aspirations and performance. CFES currently serves 20,000 students (known as CFES Scholars) in 200 urban and rural schools across 24 states.