Rian Johnson
Associate Director Content Development
LFA Supervisor & C2C Comms Intern Supervisor
We’re proud to share that the Appalachian Cradle to Career Partnership (APPC2C) has been featured on the StriveTogether blog in a new story titled Postsecondary Completion: A Community Strategy for Economic Mobility in Appalachian Kentucky.
This piece highlights the power of place-based partnerships in rural communities—and how our region is rethinking what it means to support young people beyond high school. From increasing access to dual credit and paid work experiences to ensuring students feel a true sense of belonging, our strategy is rooted in collaboration, community leadership, and local insight.
We’re grateful to StriveTogether for elevating this story and to our many partners who make this work possible every day. Together, we’re not just helping students graduate—we’re helping them build futures.
Showing Up Together: Stories of Attendance in Action
When September began, I asked a simple question: “Why be at school?” Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen that question answered in classrooms, homes,
The Power of Striving Together
Last week I had the opportunity to attend my first StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network Convening. On my flight to Atlanta, I kept thinking about
One of 15: Rosie Stafford Earns Prestigious GPC Certification
We are thrilled to share that our Program Manager, Rose-Linda “Rosie” Stafford, has joined an elite group of just 15 professionals in Kentucky to earn
Why Be at School? Because the Future Is Built One Day at a Time
As National Attendance Awareness Month begins, I think back on 30 years in education—and it’s not the ceremonies or milestones I remember most, but the
Rural AmeriCorps: Building Communities from the Inside Out
— Dreama Gentry, President and CEO, Partners for Rural Impact AmeriCorps is often framed as an urban program, where young people travel to unfamiliar cities
Turning the Page on Our Literacy Crisis Will Require All of Us
Editor’s Note: This blog post is co-authored by Dr. Felicia Cumings Smith, President & CEO of the National Center for Family Learning, and Dreama Gentry,