Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Becoming an Educated Community Member: A Practical Demonstration for Advising Professionals
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
In this practical demonstration of a useful advising technique, I demonstrate how using statistics available through Kentucky’s County Profiles can change the educational outlook of Appalachian counties. County Profiles examines educational attainment for each county in Kentucky with vibrant graphics and statistics. The workshop I demonstrate not only incorporates demographic information but provides an easy, confidence-boosting lesson in mathematics for high-school age participants. Participants first review poverty statistics for their own county, and use the percentages provided to put the statistics into real numbers they can relate to. Through leading questions about the poverty numbers and why these rates are so high, I generate discussions about the county. We then look at educational rates. Once again, I require that participants do simple math to turn percentages into real numbers. I question them on drop-out rates for their particular county, on high school graduation rates, and on academic problems requiring remediation. Our third step is look at graduation statistics for high school, associate degree, and bachelor (+) degrees. We answer these questions so participants feel comfortable pursuing their own educational needs: Who holds degrees in your county? What degrees? How much education is required? What are your educational aspirations? What are the educational aspirations for your children? How do you get there and become An Educated Member of Your Community? Time permitting, as a group we analyze US Census data as well, a feature I include for professional educators attending this practical demonstration.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
For the last 13 years, Sharee St.Louis Smith has worked as a College Access Counselor for the Federal TRIO program Commonwealth Educational Opportunity Center (Morehead State University), focusing on adults and high schools seniors in Southeastern Kentucky who plan to further their education through GED and/or college. She and her husband, Jimmy Dean Smith, live with one of their sons, two dogs, a cat or sometimes two, and numerous strays just down the hill from a played-out mountain-top-removal site: views to the east are great; views to the west are problematic.
Becoming an Educated Community Member: A Practical Demonstration for Advising Professionals
In this practical demonstration of a useful advising technique, I demonstrate how using statistics available through Kentucky’s County Profiles can change the educational outlook of Appalachian counties. County Profiles examines educational attainment for each county in Kentucky with vibrant graphics and statistics. The workshop I demonstrate not only incorporates demographic information but provides an easy, confidence-boosting lesson in mathematics for high-school age participants. Participants first review poverty statistics for their own county, and use the percentages provided to put the statistics into real numbers they can relate to. Through leading questions about the poverty numbers and why these rates are so high, I generate discussions about the county. We then look at educational rates. Once again, I require that participants do simple math to turn percentages into real numbers. I question them on drop-out rates for their particular county, on high school graduation rates, and on academic problems requiring remediation. Our third step is look at graduation statistics for high school, associate degree, and bachelor (+) degrees. We answer these questions so participants feel comfortable pursuing their own educational needs: Who holds degrees in your county? What degrees? How much education is required? What are your educational aspirations? What are the educational aspirations for your children? How do you get there and become An Educated Member of Your Community? Time permitting, as a group we analyze US Census data as well, a feature I include for professional educators attending this practical demonstration.
