Summary
Missouri Commissioner of Education and Special Guests Gather to Recognize Graduates, Encourage All Students to Create Strong Plan for After High School
IRONTON, Mo. (May 6, 2024)— Arcadia Valley High School today hosted Decision Day, an event for the 81 high school seniors to announce their plans following graduation, which ranged from enrolling in college, undertaking technical training, and enlisting in the military. Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. Margie Vandeven joined the event in recognition of the importance of ensuring every student graduates high school with a strong plan for success, and to celebrate the students’ achievements.
“Every Missourian deserves the education and training necessary to fulfill their American Dream,” said Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. “Across our state, schools are holding Decision Day events to celebrate students’ plans after high school. We are proud to see rootEd Alliance in 135 rural high schools making sure that every senior has a plan for their future whether it’s going to college, earning a career credential, joining the military, or going directly to the workforce. Congratulations to the seniors at Arcadia Valley High School and to students across Missouri as they begin the next chapter of their lives.”
Decision Day also serves as an occasion to reflect on Arcadia Valley High School’s two years with rootEd Missouri, a public-private partnership that helps rural students define and plan their paths to achieve career success and economic stability. The initiative places dedicated college and career counselors, called rootEd advisors, in rural schools to work with all students, and is designed to help address the unique challenges related to awareness and access to opportunities that students in rural communities often face. At Arcadia Valley, demonstrable achievements included:
- In the 2023-2024 school year, rootEd advisor Nicole Thomas had one-on-one meetings with all graduating seniors, and as a result, 100% of Arcadia Valley’s senior class is graduating with a strong college or career plan.
- Two- and four-year college enrollment rates increased by 20% since the school offered rootEd advising.
- Completion rates for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) at Arcadia Valley- an important step in the process to secure funding for college and career training- is double the Missouri state-wide completion rate.
rootEd Missouri operates in 135 rural high schools across the state, funded in part through a multi-year state grant program from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The partnership among national organization rootEd Alliance, Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC), and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has resulted in demonstrable advancements for students.
“We have a responsibility to not only ensure that students graduate from high school but that they do so with a clear plan for what happens next – and all with an eye toward students’ long-term plans and local workforce opportunities,” Vandeven said. “We’re grateful to partner with rootEd Alliance to make good on that commitment by providing students dedicated college and career advising. Today, the students showed us the incredible opportunities they can take on with this kind of dedicated support.”
“Students at Arcadia Valley High School have had a tremendous year setting up their post-graduation paths to achieve career success, with support from rootEd Alliance,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, Chancellor, Ozarks Technical Community College. “With thanks to the continued support of the state, we are able to invest in the futures of these remarkable students, which will ultimately benefit our workforce and communities here in Missouri. Congratulations to all of the students on this big milestone and our thanks to all of our passionate rootEd advisors.”
“We know our students can achieve great things with the right support and resources, and with rootEd advisor Nicole Thomas’s dedicated career and college advising, they’ve done just that,” said Dr. Brian Beard, superintendent of the Arcadia Valley R-II Schools. “Decision Day is a testament to our commitment to the long-term success of our students and our community, and we’re so proud to be a part of rootEd Missouri.”
“My congratulations to the senior class of Arcadia Valley! You and your families should be incredibly proud of all you have accomplished, and excited for the future you have worked so hard to make possible this year,” said Byron D. Trott, chairman and co-CEO of BDT & MSD Partners, rootEd Alliance founder and Missouri native. “I know from personal experience how special it is to grow up in a small town. My advice to each of you, no matter where you go from here, is to always remember where you came from.”
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About rootEd Alliance
Every student should graduate high school on a path to achieve career success and economic stability. rootEd Alliance places dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools to work with all students to define and plan their futures, whether through a college degree, work-based learning, or military service. Launched in 2018 and now operating in Missouri, Texas, and Idaho, 183 rootEd advisors have served 30,000 students at 189 high schools. This approach is working: in the 2022 school year, rootEd schools saw a 13% increase in postsecondary enrollment, while national enrollment rates remained flat over the same time period. rootEd Alliance is made possible by a group of philanthropists and family and founder-led businesses, convened by BDT & MSD Partners. For more information, please visit: https://rootEdAlliance.org.
