Six Polk County Middle School seventh graders became the newest New Century Scholars recipients earlier this month with an awards ceremony and dinner hosted by Isothermal Community College in Spindale.

New Century Scholars (NCS) is a program that provides last-dollar college tuition support and textbook support to selected students who attend Isothermal Community College. Students are selected for NCS participation beginning in the seventh grade and continue throughout middle and high school.

This year’s recipients are Landen Bradley, Vinca Hebbard, Kayla Kitchen, Diana Santibanez, Destiny Duncan and Timothy Simmons. Eric Eaton, eighth grade teacher at Polk County Middle School, is the coordinator for the middle school NCS program.

The NCS program is designed to improve academic readiness, bolster student persistence toward high school graduation and increase the rate of college attendance. New Century Scholars learn to set high expectations for themselves and work hard to reach their goals. Candidates are selected based on classroom effort, positive attitude and desire for education and good behavior and character.

Once a student is selected to join NCS, they are expected to comply with school attendance regulations, meet grade requirements, follow school guidelines regarding behavior, complete volunteer service hours each year, renew the NCS contractual agreement annually, remain drug and alcohol free and exhibit good citizenship.

The NCS program in Polk County is generously supported by the Polk County ICC Community Foundation.

– submitted by PolkStudents.com