HCTC RTW students have highest GPA

Ready to Work (RTW) students at Hazard Community and Technical College had the highest GPA across the KCTCS system for the fall 2014 semester. Charles Alan Russell obtained a perfect 4.0. He is shown here with Kera King, RTW Coordinator on the Lees College Campus.

Charles Alan Russell of Jackson is a Ready to Work student at Hazard Community and Technical College who earned a 4.0 grade point average during the fall semester of classes. He said he has overcome a long battle with addiction to be able to see success like that. The RTW program has made it possible to keep a biweekly pay check and still have time for class and studying, noted the single parent. Programs like this are a must-have for single nontraditional college students. You just can t work a payroll job and go to school; one of them will always fall short of getting completely done and most all of the time it s the school work that gets put off. By having a program like RTW, getting a good education is made possible, he said.

Ready to Work (RTW) students at Hazard Community and Technical College had the highest GPA across the KCTCS system for the fall 2014 semester and the second highest percentage of students that exceeded the Institutional GPA across the state. The RTW students are hard-working students who work 20 hours every week in addition to their college classes, noted Sandy Campbell, Lead RTW Coordinator.

Campbell said, I am very proud of our students for their academic achievement this past semester. Many of these students face challenges each day just to get to class, and to have this high GPA is amazing. These students have demonstrated they are determined to get their education. I am honored to work with them, and I count it a blessing to get to share in their achievement.

Kera King, RTW Coordinator on the Lees College Campus said, I am extremely proud of our students! Many of them begin college with such apprehension but they are determined to do well. It s amazing to witness their growth throughout the semester and their delight when they re successful.

The Ready to Work program is a partnership between the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and the Cabinet for Health and Family services (CHFS). Ready to Work is designed to assist low-income parents who are enrolling in and attending community and technical colleges in Kentucky. Ready to Work can help with counseling, advocacy, mentoring, and referrals to community resources, job readiness, life skills and academic success seminars. The grant offers work opportunities both on campus and off campus through a work study program. Participants gain work experience while earning extra income that will not reduce their K-TAP benefits. The placement of work-study students helps prepare students for the workplace and often leads to full-time employment.