April 24, 2015
Inspiring Semifinalists Highlight College and Career Readiness
across the United States
Exemplars from ACT’s National College and Career Readiness Campaign Include
Students, High Schools, Community Colleges and Businesses
IOWA CITY, Iowa—The goal of college and career readiness for all has bright
prospects based on the semifinalists in ACT’s third National College and Career
Readiness Campaign. This annual program honors a distinguished group of students,
schools and employers for exemplifying what is being done in states across the country
to improve individuals’ prospects for success.
“Each of the semifinalists represent the truest form of commitment to the importance of
college and career readiness,” said Scott Montgomery, ACT vice president for policy,
advocacy and government relations. “State leaders should be very proud of the
students, high schools, community colleges and employers they’ve identified. They all
have overcome challenges and made important strides to improve academic
achievement and professional advancement across their states.”
The national semifinalists were selected from nominations by each of 34 participating
states across four award categories: Student Readiness (student), College and Career
Transition (high school), Career Preparedness (community college) and Workplace
Success (employer). Each of these categories represents a critical juncture in the
college and career readiness continuum.
The semifinalists are as follows:
Students
 Sandy Flores, Los Angeles
 Lamar Greene, Richmond, Va.
 Derek Larson, Honaunau, Hawaii
 Brittany Roney, Oakes, N.D.
High Schools
 Dorman High School, Roebuck, S.C.
 James Madison Memorial High School, Madison, Wis.
 Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, Kansas City, Kan.
 Timpview High School, Provo, Utah
Community Colleges
 Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa
 Mid-Plains Community College, North Platte, Neb.
 Mitchell Technical Institute, Mitchell, S.D.
 Valencia College, Orlando, Fla.
Employers
 East Alabama Healthcare Authority, Opelika, Ala.
 Eastman, Kingsport, Tenn.
 Safran Aerospace Composites, Rochester, N.H.
 Santee Cooper, South Carolina
The exemplars will be feted at a gala in Washington, D.C., in June. They were
determined earlier this week by the 2015 National Selection Committee comprising
education, business, and political leaders.
The committee was chaired by Virginia “Ginny” Edwards of Editorial Projects in
Education and included Kris Amundson from the National Association of State Boards
of Education; Jeremy Anderson of the Education Commission of the States; Lisa Brady
Gill, formerly of Texas Instruments; Maureen Hoyler of the Council for Opportunity in
Education; former governor Jock McKernan of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce;
Elisabeth Pearson of the Democratic Governors Association; Andy Rotherham of Real
Clear Education; and McKenzie Vaughn of the Republican Governors Association.
The Campaign’s goal is to bring attention to the hard work and exceptional
achievements of education leaders, teachers, top employers, and students. Each state
exemplar, regardless of semifinalist status, will receive an academic scholarship from
ACT.
Further details are available at www.act.org/readinesscampaign.
Below are more details on the accomplishments of each semifinalist.
Students
Sandy Flores, Los Angeles
Sandy balances major responsibilities for caring for her two younger siblings with finding
time to excel in academics and school and church leadership roles. She manages all of
her commitments while maintaining an exceptional GPA and serving as a technology
leader at her school.
Lamar Greene, Richmond, Va.
Lamar has been heavily involved as a leader in his local Boys and Girls Club, served as
a page in the U.S. Senate and interned at a laboratory dedicated to the early detection
of heart disease. He has accomplished these varying and impressive roles and done
extraordinarily well academically while struggling to find a male role model.
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Derek Larson, Honaunau, Hawaii
Derek is a recovering drug addict who has become a leader in Narcotics Anonymous
and Alcoholics Anonymous. He has risen above his struggles to perform very strongly in
dual enrollment. Derek has been taking college courses from Hawai‘i Community
College as part of Early College. He is on the Dean’s List and projected to receive 36
college credits by the time he graduates from high school this spring.
Brittany Roney, Oakes, N.D.
Brittany was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the fall of 2014, yet still has been able to
focus on her studies. She continues to maintain good grades, contribute her time and
talent to extra-curricular activities, and hold down two part-time jobs. She plans to
attend Valley City State University in Valley City, N.D., to secure a bachelor’s degree in
business administration with a focus in accounting and/or agribusiness.
High Schools
Dorman High School, Roebuck, S.C.
Dorman High School has been divided into five schools of study, all headed by a dean.
This allows students access to courses, information, community members, internships
and preparation for their desired college/career path. Dorman has specific programs for
seniors at risk of not graduating, ESOL students, young women and women in STEM.
James Madison Memorial High School, Madison, Wis.
JMMHS works to ensure the career and college readiness of every student through use
of a multi-tiered system of supports. This includes an array of tutoring and mentoring
programs, such as an after-school study center where teachers stay to assist students
with homework. It also has an action team focused on increasing access to and
participation in advanced, honors and Advanced Placement coursework for students in
underrepresented groups.
Sumner Academy of Arts and Science, Kansas City, Kan.
100% of Sumner’s seniors are admitted to a post-secondary institution, and every
student who attends Sumner participates in a minimum of two college visits by the time
they graduate. All students also take ACT WorkKeys assessments, designed to
measure their job-readiness skills.
Timpview High School, Provo, Utah
THS supports struggling students through a tiered system of intervention and support.
This system provides students with the opportunity to receive additional support and
instruction from teachers that meet the individual needs of the student. ACT Explore
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assessment data have been instrumental in helping THS identify struggling students
before they enter the ninth grade.
Community Colleges
Iowa Lakes Community College, Estherville, Iowa
Iowa Lakes Community College partners with local employers on training, continuing
education, advanced career placement and degree opportunities. Many students
mentor high schoolers interested in STEM careers. Each spring, Iowa Lakes hosts a
“CAAP It” day where students complete ACT WorkKeys assessments free of charge to
earn their National Career Readiness Certificate.
Mid-Plains Community College, North Platte, Neb.
Mid-Plains Community College has multiple relationships with local employers, including
networking events, advisory committees and internship programs. It ranks highest
among its peer institutions in “success rate,” the three-year graduation/transfer rate.
Students are involved with many leadership and volunteer organizations and receive
hands-on training in their fields of study.
Mitchell Technical Institute, Mitchell, S.D.
MTI hosts a Career Expo each year that brings together business/industry and postsecondary education representatives so that high school juniors and seniors can begin
connecting the dots between their interests, education after high school and career
goals. The school’s 99 percent job placement rate shows that its graduates are well
prepared and in high demand in their chosen career area.
Valencia College, Orlando, Fla.
Valencia offers 118 associate of science degrees/certificate programs, preparing
students for immediate entry into the workforce with an average 96 percent job
placement rate. The Accelerated Career Pathways partnership with K-12 schools and
local employers creates an educational pathway where students complete college
coursework while still in high school. Valencia’s Bridges to Success team works with atrisk populations to support postsecondary transition from application to enrollment and
graduation.
Employers
East Alabama Healthcare Authority, Opelika, Ala.
The East Alabama Healthcare Authority offers a variety of free educational and
developmental opportunities throughout the year for entry-level employees, managers,
directors, senior leadership and everyone in between. It also offers employees financial
support to further their careers and opens job opportunities with several scholarship
programs.
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Eastman, Kingsport, Tenn.
Eastman supports individual growth and development of employees by offering a
dedicated training and development group focused on building the skills and knowledge
of employees through classroom courses, online courses, just-in-time training, tuition
reimbursement, leadership development and other training and development resources.
The program has a strong emphasis on coaching and mentoring employees through
their careers, allowing the company to promote from within.
Safran Aerospace Composites, Rochester, N.H.
Safran Aerospace Composites develops an annual training plan for every employee,
using internal and external programs to meet its training needs. For example, in 2014
Safran enrolled production operators in the WorkReadyNH workforce development
program, in which employees earned both a National Career Readiness Certificate and
a community college certificate. Safran also partners with local high schools via The
Little League of Manufacturing.
Santee Cooper, South Carolina
Santee Cooper has a very competitive tuition assistance program for its employees who
want to pursue educational degrees, as well as its own training and development unit.
Santee Cooper also offers an associate and certificate program to high school seniors,
who then attend a technical school in order to gain the skills necessary to gain hands-on
skills working for Santee Cooper.
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ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve
education and workplace success. Headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa, ACT is trusted as
the nation’s leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality achievement
assessments grounded in more than 50 years of research and experience. ACT offers a
uniquely integrated set of solutions that help people succeed from elementary school
through career, providing insights that unlock potential. To learn more about ACT, go to
www.act.org.
Contact:
Ed Colby, ACT Public Relations
319.337.1147; ed.colby@act.org
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