Roane Chamber Partners with Roane County Schools
Thursday March 22, 2007
Kingston, TN - The Roane County Chamber of Commerce and the Roane County Schools system kicked off their Tennessee Scholars Program at a Chamber luncheon this week, with Schools Director Toni McGriff telling the gathering that the program will not only create "stronger students," but also deliver "more flexible employees" for businesses.
McGriff said in her remarks that the state scholars initiative will help address "a particular reality. Our businesses and our economy are demanding more of workers - more skills, a more flexible knowledge base and, above all, a greater capacity to learn - than at any time in history."
The Chamber of Commerce Board recently voted to adopt the Tennessee Scholars Initiative. TN Scholars is a business-led program involving rewards and incentives designed to encourage students to take more challenging and rigorous studies and tasks throughout high school.
McGriff told the group of Chamber members that the need for this type of program is great. "Nearly one-half of postsecondary students require and take remedial coursework in college. If a student has to take remedial work, they are less likely to eventually earn a degree. In Roane County, the percentage of students entering Roane State Community College that must take remedial courses is staggering. An average of 75% of high school students from Roane County who enroll at RSCC must take remedial math.
"So what do we do about this? ....we believe that the Tennessee Scholars program is a good answer," McGriff said.
Tennessee Scholars must complete the Tennessee Scholar Course of Study, a specific sequence of academic courses in math, science, language arts and social studies, by the time they graduate from high school. The program also has a community service requirement and a prohibition against any out-of-school suspensions. In return, scholars then become stronger candidates for financial aid and scholarships; they are better prepared for college and statistics show they score higher on ACT and SAT exams, and they become "preferred" job applicants, as employers learn that when they see a TN Scholars stamp on their transcript that the student has a better than average potential to be an good, solid employee.
In approving the Chamber's involvement, the board voted to provide seed money of up to $1,000 a year for two years to purchase such incentives as medallions or T-shirts. They also voted to establish a steering committee and begin working with 8th and 9th graders to prepare them to choose the scholars program throughout their high school years.
McGriff told the luncheon group, "The link between academic achievement and prosperity - or lack of it - is a powerful one. A study on the variations in math and science education since the ‘60's found a one-to-one correlation between increases in average test scores and national economic growth. In country after country, a boost in test performance was linked to a distinct rise in annual per capita GNP growth. Further evidence forecasts a decline in U.S. per capita income if we don't educate our students well.
"A rigorous course of study in high school is not an option; it is a necessity," McGriff said.
For more information on the Tennessee Scholars initiative or for ways the business community can become more involved, contact Chamber Education Committee Chair Penelope Uselton at 865-376-9564 ext. 40.
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Contact:
Leslie Henderson
(865) 376-2903
