NORTH ANSON — This August, Carrabec High School became one of six high schools to serve as a site for a new AmeriCorps program, the College Access Corps. The program is a partnership between Goodwill Industries of Northern New England and Maine Campus Compact. The AmeriCorps member will work with Carrabec students to help improve aspirations to and enrollment in higher education.

According to an AmeriCorps new release, as it stands today, 60 percent of Maine’s ninth-graders will not complete a secondary degree before the age of 40.

High school students across the state face many barriers to fulfilling their college aspirations, one of which is a lack of adequate information. The CAC helps to address this problem by placing highly-trained AmeriCorps volunteers into high schools to work oneon one with students. The volunteers will also be working with a local institution of higher education to develop long-term programming which will further address issues of college access.

Michael Cooley is the AmeriCorps volunteer at Carrabec High School. A recent graduate of the University of Maine at Orono, Cooley will be focusing on one-on-one advising with juniors and seniors. He will also give presentations to classes throughout the school system and help to organize college fairs and visits.

Cooley can help students and families navigate the college search and application process, as well as answer questions about financial aid. If you are interested in working with Cooley, or have any questions for him, you can contact him at mcooley@msad74.org or 635-2296.