Project GRAD
The annual celebration for the students who completed Project GRAD at Fulton and Austin-East High Schools was held last night at the Knoxville Convention Center. In front of community leaders and family, over one hundred seniors were presented medals signifying success. Project GRAD's purpose is to improve the graduation rate in those two inner city high schools and to ultimately increase the college attendance rate to 50% of the graduating class. Early test scores and improved retention rates indicate that the effort is paying off.
Pellissippi State has been a supporter of this project from the very beginning. Given that the college mission is to provide access to higher education for our community, then assisting our children in completing high school and making plans to attend college is very important to us. Our Summer Institute brings Project GRAD sophomores onto our campus during the month of June for classes in English, math, science, and an elective, and the Summer Institute Director, Rosalyn Tillman, has made this a successful venture for the kids and for the College.
It was a great night of celebration, and I am glad that I could be a part of it.