Educators and policymakers in Ohio teamed up with ACT today to honor the state’s leading exemplars of college and career readiness in four categories across the education and workforce continuum: students, high schools, community colleges and employers. The event kicks off ACT’s third annual national College and Career Readiness Campaign, its largest yet with 34 partner states.
This year’s campaign is notable for its more than fourfold increase in partner states, thanks to the leadership of the ACT State Organization Councils in each state. These volunteer councils of education leaders will collaborate with ACT leadership over the next five months to bring attention to the hard work and exceptional achievements of their states’ students and leaders across the college and career continuum.
Nominated students in each participating state receive an academic scholarship from ACT.
“We are excited to welcome so many new states, including Ohio, to our campaign this year,” said Scott Montgomery, ACT vice president for policy, advocacy and government relations. “Highlighting each state’s consistent and successful effort will provide motivation and inspiration to other students, along with education and workplace leaders, to follow in their footsteps in making college and career success a reality for more individuals in their state.”
Each participating state will host an event to recognize exemplars across four categories:
- Student Readiness Award and scholarship (awarded to a high school senior)
- College and Career Transition Award (awarded to a high school)
- Career Preparedness Award (awarded to a community college)
- Workplace Success Award (awarded to an employer)
The following Ohio individuals and organizations were honored today:
- Loni Sammons, a senior from Briggs High School in Columbus, received the Student Readiness Award for her exceptional academic achievement, including serving on student council and President of the National Honor Society. Sammons also plays two sports, volunteers as a softball coach and a church youth leader, and works part-time.
- Crooksville High School in Crooksville received the College and Career Transition Award for providing its students, many who come from low-income backgrounds, with both challenging courses and an array of opportunities beyond academics to learn about and prepare for postsecondary education and careers.
- Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville earned the Career Preparedness Award for its commitment to ensuring that its students are prepared and empowered for life after college through holding mandatory first-year success seminars, guiding students through the process of setting concrete career goals and providing them with the resources to achieve those goals in the real world.
- Honda North America’s auto production plant in Marysville was recognized with the Workplace Success Award for devoting notable resources to the educational and career advancement of its employees, including onsite training and coursework, tuition reimbursement and collaborative co-op programs with a consortium of five local community colleges.
Ohio State Representative Bill Hayes (R-72nd District) attended the event in Columbus and commended the exemplars on their efforts.
“You are the ones who are the guiding Ohio’s students to where they need to go, and when they need to act,” said Rep. Hayes. “The goal of our 131st legislature shall be to prepare students for college and career, but we depend on you all to let us know how they’re doing and what they need to succeed.”
Following events in each of the 34 partner states, national award recipients will be recognized at the ACT National Gala for College and Career Readiness in Washington, D.C., on June 9, 2015. An ACT selection committee will review all state nominations and choose the national semifinalists in early April. A national selection committee comprised of education and workforce development leaders will then select one honoree per category for national recognition at the gala.
The other 33 participating states are:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
To learn more about the ACT College & Career Readiness Campaign and view highlights from prior years, visit www.act.org/readinesscampaign.