HCTC success story: Kaylea Noble

Kaylea Noble felt academically prepared for her university work and she credits that to Hazard Community and Technical College and being part of the HCTC Next Generation class offered at Breathitt High School (BHS).

She now serves as the Gear Up College and Career Navigator at the high school where she graduated and she is thankful for a job to help steer other teen-agers toward their career goals.

She is a May 2016 HCTC graduate; she then earned her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University.

HCTC offers the Next Generation Academy at a reduced cost for tuition. “I knew that I did not want to have the entire financial burden that a four-year degree would put on my family and myself,” Noble said. “I really feel like with this experience, I got a true taste of college life while in high school. It is a hard transition going from high school to college. While in high school, you have less independence. In college, you have to be independent or else you will not succeed. I feel like the Next Generation Academy allowed me to make mistakes, and get a little experience in the meantime. For example, I had help from the staff at BHS and HCTC scheduling my classes, locating the registrar’s office, etc.; therefore, when I got to Eastern I knew how to do those things already so I was not as stressed as a first time freshman that had no experiences,” she said.

Noble said she appreciates the assistance provided by HCTC faculty and staff. “Everyone wanted to lend a helping hand. The professors were tough; they expected as much out of us as they did their normal college students. I really appreciate all of the valuable knowledge I learned from them; it really helped lay the foundation for my future college education.”

Noble earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in spring 2018. She is pursuing another bachelor's degree in Speech Language Pathology with Western Kentucky University, online. She plans to also earn a master’s degree.

“I am so thankful to be back in my alma mater! The students here are absolutely amazing. I am truly blessed. I have so many amazing memories here, and I now I have the opportunity to make many more. It is a little weird to have my previous teachers as my now coworkers. They are such amazing mentors and I still lean on them today for advice. We also have such an amazing staff here at BHS,” she said.