WCK2C SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM RECEIVES DONATION | MCC

    WCK2C SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM RECEIVES DONATION

    The Webster County Industrial Development Authority presented the Webster County Kids to College (WCK2C) program with a donation of $250,000 as part of its commitment to increasing educational opportunities for all students in Webster county. Members of the Development Authority and the Economic Development Corporation Board include Steve Whitsell (Chair), Jim Crouse, Mike Farris, Tom Glover, Ken Hammack, Herman Hawkins, Steve Hendrix, Jerry Hobgood, Mark Moser, Kent Preston, William (Shorty) Prow, Shellie Utley, Archie Davis and Jeff Coomes. Webster County Judge Executive Jim Townsend and Fiscal Court members were integral in working with the Development Authority for approval of this significant gift.

    Madisonville Community College President Dr. Judith L. Rhoads thanked the Webster County Development Authority, on behalf of Madisonville Community College and Henderson Community College for the $250,000 contribution to WCK2C. This means that you have invested in the future; you have invested in the youth. It will help raise the education level of the region and more people will be going on to college which will help with economic development. It is a great, great program! The $250,000 donation is the WCK2C founding gift and is not part of the $600,000 that is currently being raised over the next 2 year. Rhoads shared, You can tell your friends and neighbors that our students in Webster County will have a scholarship to go to college. We are leaps and bounds ahead. Great things are happening in Webster County!

    Dr. Kris Williams, President of Henderson Community College, noted that WCK2C is the first of these kinds of workforce scholarship efforts that has worked between two community colleges. Webster County has the opportunity to go in many directions for the education they want.

    WCK2C is a work ethic/scholarship program for all students at Webster County High School. Starting with the 2015-2016 school year, parents will have the opportunity to complete WCK2C enrollment of students at the beginning of the freshman year. Students must successfully meet the following criteria each school year to remain in the program and earn a Work Ethic Certificate:
    • Quality - Maintain a minimum 95% attendance (includes all excused/unexcused absences and tardies with the exception of school-related activities)
    • Attendance - Maintain a minimum 2.50 grade point average (GPA) each academic year
    • Rigor - Take more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation
    • Persistence - Complete high school in four years

    Webster County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rachel Yarbrough shared how exciting it will be to talk with the 2015-2016 freshman students during orientation about WCK2K and expressed appreciation to the Webster County Development Authority. I just appreciate all of you supporting it in this way and wanted to give you a public thank you for supporting Webster County students. I m excited that I will be able to look them in the eye and say meet these criterion and any student can receive a scholarship. It will be the first time that we will be able to have that conversation and I glad that I m the superintendent that gets to have the conversation.

    The WCK2C program requires no extra time commitment on the student s part just keep their grades up, go to school every day, and be on time. Attendance is one of the top disqualifying factors. Parents can help by encouraging regular school attendance and by scheduling doctor, dental, and other appointments after school or on a non-school day. Program eligibility must be maintained each year.

    Each student earning 4 WCK2C work ethic certificates will be eligible for a tuition scholarship for up to $1,000 each semester for 4 semesters upon enrollment at Henderson Community College or Madisonville Community College. WK2C scholarship funds are applied after KEES, financial aid, and other scholarships have been awarded.

    Webster County Judge Executive Jim Townsend reaffirmed his support of the program. I am a real advocate for making sure that we are able to raise these funds. I want to thank the Economic Development Board for supporting this. I just want to thank each one for having the foresight to go ahead with the vote to give these funds for a perfectly good cause.

    Individuals interested in obtaining more information about the WCK2C work ethic scholarship program and the fundraising campaign can contact Judge Jim Townsend 270.639.5042; Dr. Rachel Yarbrough 270.639.5083; Dr. Judy Rhoads 270.824.8562; Dr. Kris Williams 270.831.9626; or Tom Glover 270.836.3323