Kosciusko County Educational Development has changed its name to Gradway.
According to a press release from the organization, KC-Ed “has been successfully helping students in our community graduate since 2009. The program started as a grassroots effort from local businesses and community leaders who believed that the graduation rate in our county could be improved.”
After seeing success at the high school level, the board began thinking through ways that it could have an even bigger impact on students; thus, the middle school and elementary programs were formed, the release states. The hope was to reach more students through positive relationships and to catch them at a younger age, so that the skills needed to be successful could be taught and developed early.
“We are pleased to see that our county graduation rate rose from 75 percent to 84 percent over the past six years KC-Ed has been working with students, and we are looking forward to seeing more students graduate,” the release states.
The name change to Gradway is not due to a lack of success in the program, but the board of directors realized that a lack of awareness of the organization was preventing community members from getting involved, the press release states. It also was confused with the other 50-plus business and non-profits in town whose name begins with Kosciusko County.
“This name change comes out of our desire to continue serving students with a name that more accurately describes the mission and is simpler to remember. We want the public to have easier access to the program so they have the opportunity to be involved, subscribe to the newsletter and donate to the students’ success. This is the perfect way to continue helping the coming generation of students,” according to the press release.
Gradway’s mission is to promote high school graduation, one relationship at a time. Its kindergarten to 12th-grade programs serve four area school corporations: Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw, Wawasee and Whitko.
Gradway is in its sixth year of operation and has served over 600 high school students during that time, as well as over 400 middle school and elementary students. Gradway is a 501C3 public charity and is entirely funded by grants and individual or corporate donations.
For more information or to donate to Gradway, visit www.Gradway.org or email Brittany Lyons at Director@Gradway.org
(Story by The Times Union)
