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HI HAT — Students and representatives gathered Monday morning at South Floyd High School, as officials with AT&T announced a contribution to Floyd County Schools, as part of the school system’s “It’s All About Success” initiative, for new programs targeted at improving graduation rates.

The programs being lauded by AT&T and Floyd County schools will provide summer remediation opportunities for incoming high school freshman and expand the advisor/advisee program in high schools across the district. The program will also expand the district’s “WhyTry” curriculum, increasing opportunities for students to engage in credit recovery and remediation during evening hours.

“There is no greater investment that any organization can make than in the education of Kentucky’s future leaders,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo said. “The work of the Floyd County Schools is to be commended, as they keep our youth on track to graduate high school and prepare them to succeed in college or the workforce.”

Floyd County Schools have made recent strides in raising graduation rates. “Its all about Success” was named as one of 47 recipients nationwide that will share in nearly $10 million from AT&T during this phase of the AT&T Aspire program.

Stumbo hearkened back to legendary football coach Bear Bryant, when he told students gathered that the program was about creating winners, both academically, and later in life. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win. Be winners.”

Greg Morton, regional president for AT&T, said the Floyd County school system was the only Appalachian recipient of the awar.

“We’ve looked across the country at programs that are really making a difference to keep students in school,” Morton said. “Floyd County schools have demonstrated that they are making a difference to keep kids in school. AT&T wanted to reach out and support that effort to keep it going, so that success can continue.”

Since the program began in 2008, AT&T has impacted more than 1 million students with its Aspire program. Floyd County becomes the most recent, and the first in Appalachia to benefit.

“The mission of Floyd County Schools is ‘to educate all students to become proficient life-long learners and to ‘build a better future for every child, every day,’” Superintendent Dr. Henry Webb said. “Floyd County Schools has been a district on the move over the last few years according to federal and state test results. Our test scores are increasing, and due to the teamwork and dedication of our staff students and community, our district has moved from a 3.82 percent drop-out rate in 2008, to 2.1 percent in 2010.”

Webb says that the district’s Renaissance Learning Center’s results have been positive, including the on-time graduation of more than 27 students who had fallen behind. “Our work with AT&T will help broaden the work of the RLC program and provide enhanced academic support and enrichment activities for our high school students.”

Speakers during Mondays announcement also included state Sen. Johnny Ray Turner and SFHS principal Joe Marsden. The introductory speech was given by SFHS student body president A.J. Johnson.