CELINA-Clay County High School has again received a $10,000 grant from the Tennessee Appalachian Center for Higher Education (TnACHE).

Program officials awarded the grant to CCHS officials on Monday. The money is used in various activities to increase student involvement in post-secondary education, both technical and college, officials said. 

TnACHE is a successfully proven educational program that encourages Tennessee Appalachian students to pursue post-secondary and higher education, the program website explains. 

The TnACHE program administers low-cost, high-impact competitive grants and other professional services to middle and high schools for activities (campus visits, college/career fairs, etc) that encourage students to graduate from high school and prepare for post-secondary education. 

Since TnACHE is not affiliated with any specific educational institution, the program focuses on access to a variety of post-secondary educational opportunities (including vocational and technical schools and colleges) as well as higher education (two and four-year colleges and universities).

TnACHE is a partnership of post-secondary and higher-education institutions and K–12 schools in the counties of Appalachian Tennessee deemed distressed by the Appalachian Regional Commission to increase the low educational attainment of the region’s citizens. 

The program unites vocational and technical schools, colleges, universities, K–12 schools and the private sector to increase the region’s college-going rate, currently only half the national average.

PHOTO ABOVE RIGHT

A REALLY BIG CHECK-Local education officials accepted a big check in more ways than one from Tennessee Appalachian Center for Higher Education officials on Monday. The $10,000 TnACHE grant will be used at Clay County High School to increase student involvement in post-secondary education, officials say. At the presentation were (l-r) Clay County mayor Dale Reagan, TnACHE representative Christy Mahoney, Clay schools director Donnie Cherry, CCHS principal John Denton, school board chairman Dickie Roberts, CCHS counselor Jayne Donaldson and TnACHE executive director Dr. Terry Lashley. (Staff photo by Kevin Donaldson)