Graduates of Northern Kentucky’s independent river city school districts have earned more than $3.3 million in scholarships and educational awards at the conclusion of this school year.
EducateNKY, a Northern Kentucky-based nonprofit focused on expanding educational access and outcomes for local youth, found that graduates of regional river city school districts completed 3,387 dual-credit hours and earned $3.3 million in scholarships.
Northern Kentucky’s independent river city school districts include Bellevue, Covington, Dayton, Ludlow and Newport.
“These numbers represent more than scholarships and college credits,” Bellevue Superintendent Misty Middleton said in a news release. “They represent opportunities for students to pursue their goals with confidence, reduce financial barriers and enter the next chapter of their lives prepared for success.”
Dual credit programs allow students to earn college-level credits while still in high school through partnerships with institutions such as Gateway Community & Technical College, Northern Kentucky University and the Northern Kentucky Young Scholars Academy. Acquiring these credits before graduation helps students shorten their time in college and decrease overall expenses for their degree or credential.
The breakdown for each school district is:
- Covington Independent Schools students earned 857 college credit hours and more than $2 million in scholarships and educational awards.
- Newport Independent Schools students completed 756 dual credit hours and earned more than $77,000 in scholarships.
- Dayton Independent Schools students completed 657 dual credit hours and earned nearly $190,000 in scholarships.
- Bellevue Independent Schools students earned 610 college credit hours and more than $273,000 in scholarships while achieving a 100% college and career readiness rate among graduates.
- Ludlow Independent Schools students completed 507 dual credit hours and earned more than $783,000 in scholarship awards.
“These outcomes demonstrate what is possible when schools, families and communities work together to support students,” Ludlow Independent School District Jason Steffen said in the release. “Our graduates are earning valuable college credits, reducing future education costs and building momentum toward their goals before they even walk across the graduation stage.”
