The program is rooted in promising data . Of the high school-level students who are taking advanced placement courses or participating in dual enrollment programs already in place , 87.2 % are completing their higher education pathway .
The WVHEPC also brings students to campuses to envision what is possible for them .
“ We provided plans for a handful of counties with the lowest college rates to send their students to colleges on
buses ,” she says . “ The simple act of showing a kid a college campus opens their eyes to things they didn ’ t think were possible , whether it is a community college or a local baccalaureate institution . Also , we said all kids , not just honor students .”
West Virginia was one of only four states chosen for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs ( GEAR UP ) federal grant in 2021 . This was the third consecutive and largest grant awarded to the WVHEPC . The seven-year grant serves middle and high school students in 11 counties with a multitude of resources to help them prepare for and open the door to higher education . The $ 24.5 million grant will run through 2028 with a possible one-year extension .
“ We have to give our students the understanding that there are jobs available for them in West Virginia — highpaying jobs ,” Tucker says . “ They just have to get some form of post-secondary education . I talk to high school students , and they say there is nothing here for them . That is simply not true anymore .”
Although the 2022 WV KIDS COUNT survey ranks West Virginia 42 out of the 50 states for overall child wellbeing , Blatt emphasizes that the state has the tools to change that number .
“ One of the most effective ways to break generational poverty is education ,” she says . “ By providing education , training , financial and nutritional support and a little human kindness , we can break the cycle .” •
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