PEF, Hamilton County Department of Education and BI-LO have partnered for the fourth year in the College Bound! campaign.  This campaign encourages students to attend college by highlighting Hamilton County graduates enrolling in prestigious institutions of higher education and also gives students resources to help them navigate the college selection and application process.  

“In today’s world it is more important than ever for students to understand all their post-secondary options,” states Stacy Lightfoot, PEF’s director of College Access and Success.  “The College Bound! campaign provides on-line tools to supplement the work of PEF’s college advisors while highlighting local students who are going on to college.”

The campaign, supported by a $26,900 grant from BI-LO Charities, has four components:

·         Billboards featuring one recent graduate from each of Hamilton County’s public high schools proclaiming the student’s high school and where they are going to college.

·         Life-size displays of the students at entrances to each Hamilton County BI-LO store and the students’ high school, holding rack cards directing observers to visit PEFmap2college.org.

·         A series of posters in every school, including elementary, to let students and families know of the resources that are available to help them plan for post-secondary education. 

·         Regular updates on the Grads of Hamilton Co. Facebook page about students’ experiences as college freshman, and responses to high school students’ questions about planning for, applying to, and attending college. 

“BI-LO is proud to partner with PEF and Hamilton County Department of Education to celebrate these students’ achievements and to encourage more students to pursue their college dreams,” said BI-LO District Director Daryl Massey.  “The company has always considered itself a good corporate citizen and advocate of the communities we serve, so it is only natural that we support this public education initiative.” 

The student displays will be in all Hamilton County BI-LO stores from mid-August through late October and billboards will launch across the county today and run through late fall. A list of the students, their high schools and the college they are attending is [below].

Kevin Hampton, Brainerd, Tennessee State University

Monica Cook, Center for Creative Arts, Birmingham-Southern College

Zachary Calhoun, Central, Wesleyan University

Emilio Craddock, CSAS, University of Virginia

Hannah Duperre, East Hamilton, Brigham Young - Idaho

Reginae and Reginelle Robbins, East Ridge, Middle Tennessee State University

Christina Johnson, Hamilton County, East Tennessee State University

Jesse Rettie, Hixson, American University

Clayton L. Mason, III, Howard, Morehouse College

Hayley Beene, Lookout Valley, Emory University

Zamaria Gains, Middle College, Trevecca Nazarene University

BriAnna O'Shea, Ooltewah, Virginia Commonwealth University

Kaitlyn Curtis, Red Bank, Warren Wilson College

Brandon Godwin, Sale Creek, University of Tennessee

Ben Humes, Sequoyah, Chattanooga State - Wacker Institute

Adam Stark, Signal Mountain, Vanderbilt

Erin Schwab, Soddy Daisy, The Ohio State University

James Clemons, Tyner, Fisk University