A local high school is the recipient of a grant that will be used to prepare students for college.

Hartland High School was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Michigan College Access Network, or MCAN. The funds from the Reach Higher System Impact Grant program are to be used in providing resources for schools to implement changes that prepare students for a college education and their future careers. Hartland will be using the money specifically to launch a career and college ready class that explores post-secondary education options, as well as a preparatory component to help students in their college placement exams.

Hartland High School Counselor Erica Empie says in preparing students, it’s important to recognize that one size does not fit all. Empie says trade schools, two-year programs, and apprenticeships are other avenues they’ll explore through the classes funded by the grant. She believes training after high school is imperative when it comes to obtaining a job that provides a salary one can live on.

For the last several years, Hartland High School has been pursuing initiatives aimed at increasing the college-going culture, while exploring data to understand why students do or don’t attend. Only 11 Michigan high schools received the grant, all of which had different ideas of how they would use the grant money to promote college preparation. Empie says if one of the schools finds an initiative that was noticeably successful, MCAN’s philosophy is it is shared with others.

Hartland’s new programs will kick off January 29th; the start of the second half of the school year. (DK)