Northeast Elementary School Earns Pathway To College Designation

Northeast Elementary School has earned a state “Pathway to College” designation.

Counselor Katie Claud said the initiative comes from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, designed to help create a college-going culture. She said it may seem early to have elementary school students thinking about college, but the sooner they can understand it the better.

“This is their future so I think there are all kinds of choices out there and starting them at a young age and saying ‘Here are some options,” Claud said. “And getting them thinking about what they want to be because, by the time they get to middle school and high school, they have to start narrowing down those options.”

Claud said Northeast earned the designation by hosting four college-going events during one school year. She said their programs included middle school signing day, FAFSA Frenzy, college applications, and college and career planning.

Claud said as an elementary school, they have to be creative about how they host them as the programs are typically geared for high school. She said they tried to help kids become aware of what the process entails and envision themselves participating.

“Spending that time in elementary school, thinking about ‘what do I want to be,'” Claud said. “Will really help get them in that mindset.”

Upperman High School also earned the “Pathway to College” designation.