SKYCTC’s TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers’ SKYRISE Road to Reentry Program Named National Innovative Program of the Year
BOWLING GREEN, KY —Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College (SKYCTC) is proud to announce that its TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) and SKYRISE Road to Reentry Program have been awarded the National Educational Opportunity Centers Association (NEOCA) Innovative Program of the Year Award. This prestigious honor recognizes SKYCTC’s commitment to creating pathways to education and its innovative approach to supporting incarcerated individuals through rehabilitation and skill-building.
The SKYRISE Road to Reentry Program empowers vetted county inmates in Butler, Simpson, and Logan counties by providing access to online college courses during their incarceration. By equipping participants with marketable skills and educational credentials, the program works to reduce recidivism rates, strengthen career readiness, and promote successful reentry into the community.
“TRIO programs are about removing barriers and opening doors,” said Heather LaRue, Coordinator of SKYRISE Road to Reentry. “The SKYRISE Road to Reentry Program exemplifies that mission. It is giving individuals a chance to rewrite their futures, while simultaneously building a stronger, safer community.” “Everyone loves a comeback story, and everyone deserves a second change,” said T. Chris George, Director of TRIO Programs & Title III Initiatives at SKYCTC.
Since its launch, the program has achieved measurable success, with participants reporting significant growth in confidence, educational attainment, and career preparedness. SKYCTC is now actively working to expand the program to additional counties within the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) to extend its impact across the region.
This national recognition affirms SKYCTC’s leadership in correctional education and positions the SKYRISE model as a best practice for TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers nationwide.
TRIO Programs at SKYCTC are federally funded initiatives designed to support students from first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented backgrounds in achieving their educational and career goals. Through programs such as Student Support Services (SSS), Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC), and Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS), SKYCTC TRIO provides academic advising, tutoring, financial literacy education, college and career exploration, and other resources that remove barriers to student success.
