KY AHED gets ARC funding
Morehead State University has been awarded funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission to continue its work with the Kentucky Appalachian Higher Education Network (KY AHED).
The $300,000 grant runs through June 30, 2011. This brings the total amount funded to more than $1.2 million.
The project is led by Dr. Dale Duvall, grant writer of the program and special assistant to the president for the P-16 program at MSU, and Keith Walker, KY AHED grant coordinator.
Thirteen counties and 15 schools are currently participating in the KY AHED program with MSU. Those include Bath, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan and Rockcastle.
The KY AHED program at MSU continues to increase the number of student participants. In exposing students to the idea of attending a university, college, community college or technical school, the program is making positive impacts. This process is building students’ confidence and self-esteem.
The program also encourages career exploration and awareness in its participating school districts as well as helping students learn what academic skills will be needed in their first year of higher education.
The KY AHED program at MSU also established a network between the high schools and area higher education institutions to help students prepare for college success, with a particular emphasis on math and science.
The program is under the supervision of the P-16 Program at MSU and partners with the Kentucky-CAN (College Access Network), U.S. Department of Education NSF funded Math-Science Partnerships, Governor’s Office for Local Development in Frankfort, six regional Community and Technical Colleges, and 47 high schools in Appalachia Kentucky to assure effective and efficient delivery of services and to support long-term sustainability.
The KY-AHED Center currently serves 15 high schools, seven of which are continuing programs and eight are just starting. This additional funding will allow expansion to 47 high schools in 2010-11.
KY-AHED is one of eight participating centers in the Appalachian Higher Education Network (AHEN). Centers are molded after the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education which won the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Award for Innovations in American Government in 2003 for its success in getting more high school students to continue on to college and universities.
Participating high schools typically show double digit increases in college-going rates. In Kentucky, the KY-AHED Program has translated into more than 700 additional students continuing their education beyond high school who likely would not have without this program.
Additional information on the program is available by contacting Dr. Duvall at (606) 783-9379 or Walker at (606) 783-9519.
Posted: 11-9-09
