which was created by the Virginia
Foundation for Independent Colleges as a vehicle to
provide third party
certification of college
graduates’ technology competency. This
collaborative initiative resulted in the creation of
the Tek-Advantage program which provides third-party
basic computer competency certification. The
Foundation sought the assistance of Patrick Henry
Community College in the design of the final curricula
and instruction.
Future training programs in
the hospitality and tourism industry will be offered
within the next three months.
The Patrick County Education
Foundation now has slightly more than two years of
programmatic experience and the early stage success has
been significant.
The College Access Program
began in October 2001. In 2002, the percentage of
students taking the SAT doubled from 2001.
Forty-five percent of 2002 graduates who went on
to college chose four-year institutions; in 2003, 62
percent did so. Among 2003 high school seniors,
the number taking the SAT was 63 percent higher than in
2002. Through the assistance of the Foundation,
students received financial aid totaling more than $1
million. “Last dollar” awards rose
from $17,100 in 2002 to $37,000 in 2003.
The GED Promotion Project began in
Spring 2003 with a $25,000 marketing campaign and the
first $1,000 per graduate incentives were awarded.
Through the efforts of the Foundation, the GED
enrollment has more than tripled in the last three
months.
The Tek-Advantage course was
launched in June of 2003 and over 90 adult residents
have been certified through four sequenced four-week
courses. The Foundation anticipates over 120
graduates in 2004 and
