For years, the Cadiz Rotary Club and Murray State University have maintained a strong partnership built to empower juniors and seniors of Trigg County High School with hard-earned college credit.
Better known as “Thoroughbred Academy,” the Trigg County Board of Education spent Thursday hearing about changes coming to the program from Instructional Supervisor Faye Stevens — before unanimously approving said changes.
Stevens said the Cadiz Rotary Club and its “Thoroughbred Academy” committee met in late February, early March — with strong desires mentioned to have more students applying.
Looking to fill 40 total seats, 20 juniors and 20 seniors, it was recommended by some to remove a minimum ACT score requirement of 18 for the “Thoroughbred Academy” application. Stevens said while this doesn’t fall in line with some of Murray State University’s entry-level course prerequisites, it does fall in line with the four-year school’s general admittance — which no longer requires a minimum ACT score at all.
Stevens further noted that a previous “Thoroughbred Academy” requirement of a 21 or better on the math portion of the ACT has also been removed from the application, because Murray State University no longer offers math classes in the junior/senior rotation.
As a counterbalance to removed benchmarks, the total application assessment has moved from 55 possible points earned to 60 possible points earned — with grade point average increasing from 5 points to 10 points possible.
An 18 in the English ACT portion and a 20 in the Reading ACT portion are still required, Stevens added, and one of the biggest changes coming is that hopeful students will have to secure their own letters of recommendation.
Tentatively:
— Juniors this next year will have access to COM 161 (introduction to public speaking, three hours) and PSY 180 (general psychology) in the fall, and ENG 105 (critical reading, writing and inquiry; four hours) and THD 104 (theatrical experience; three hours) in the spring.
— Seniors will have access to HIS 222 (American experience since 1865; three hours) and HUM 211 (topics in literature and philosophy; three hours) in the fall, and CIV 201 (world civilizations I, three hours) and AST 115/116 (introduction to astronomy/lab; three hours) in the spring.
Stevens assured that students opting to attend elsewhere in Kentucky for college will be able to take their credits with them.
As it stands, “Thoroughbred Academy” allows students the opportunity to earn up to 24 credit hours over two years, and in the past, the program has assisted in a record number of placements for internships and co-op experiences across west Kentucky.
