SECO Energy Back-To-School Program Funds $3,500 for Lake County Educational Foundation
SECO Energy’s back-to-school program allocated Lake County public school students with $3,500 to the county’s Educational Foundation. As a not-for-profit local electric cooperative, SECO believes in supporting the communities it serves. The Foundation will use the funds for its ACT Prep Program.
The Educational Foundation of Lake County piloted the ACT Prep Program at Leesburg High School six years ago and it is now funded at six Lake County high schools. To graduate, high school students must pass the state-mandated tenth grade reading assessment. 413 students in the 2020 class are in jeopardy of not graduating because they did not pass the assessment. The ACT program helps these students bolster their reading skills. Students have a second chance to graduate by earning an acceptable concordance score on the ACT or SAT.
The ACT program is incredibly successful. 76 to 83 percent of students who complete the program are able to graduate on time. Two years ago, the graduation rate in Lake County was 74 percent. School administrators believe the 2020 graduating percentage will increase to 88 percent. Much of this increase is attributed to the ACT Reading Prep Program.
The Education Foundation’s Community Outreach Liaison Audra Dick is thankful for SECO’s valued partnership. Dick stated, “SECO Energy’s investment in the Educational Foundation of Lake County’s ACT Prep Program will give 413 students a chance to walk across the stage in May of 2020, diploma in hand.”
CEO Jim Duncan stated, “SECO Energy is honored to support Lake County students through its back-to-school program’s contribution to the Educational Foundation of Lake County. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO believes an investment in education is a benefit to all of our members. In Lake County, we serve over 65,000 homes and businesses. Teachers are an invaluable community asset, they enrich our communities by educating our future leaders and as a benefit to SECO, possibly our future employees.”
Learn more about SECO Energy and its efforts to support education and local communities on our Community page. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” @SECOEnergy on Twitter for news releases and cooperative updates.
