With the assistance of teachers, guidance counselors, and principals, students are selected based on need. We are mandated by the Department of Education to select a certain number of students who fall below certain income levels and/or whose parents did not graduate from a 4-year post-secondary institution. However, not all students are required to meet this criterion. The main thing Talent Search seeks is students who are motivated and have the potential to pursue a post-secondary education. New students are recruited primarily in the fall, particularly 6th graders; however, referrals are appreciated all year and from all grades. Interested applicants must submit a completed application to be considered. Submission of an application does not guarantee placement in Talent Search.
Talent Search has many activities for students all year long. Regularly scheduled workshops, college campus tours, and enrichment trips are conducted during the school year. Summer activities include campus tours and cultural enrichment trips. Talent Search also provides newsletters to both students and parents. Talent Search strongly encourages parents to become actively involved in preparing for their child’s educational goals. Topics covered by Talent Search include:
The MCC TRIO Talent Search program provides various activities throughout the year. During the school year, Talent Search advisors do regularly-scheduled in-school workshops that are designed to be both fun and pertinent to successfully completing secondary education and enrolling in a program of postsecondary education. Workshops topics include career games, bridge building, college information, money for college, career information and character-building activities.
The Talent Search program also participates in the Kentucky Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (KAEOPP) Academic Bowl in which our 8th grade participants compete against other Talent Search programs throughout the state. We are happy to report that we have won 1st place three out of the six and 2nd place the other three years. Winning 1st place at the KAEOPP Academic Bowl advances the team to the Regional level to compete at the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (SAEOPP) competition in which our Talent Search program won 1st place two out of the three years that they were eligible to compete.
Talent Search campus visits have included campus tours to Murray State, Western KY U, University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, Brescia, Berea, Austin Peay, Kentucky Wesleyan, Vanderbilt, University of Evansville, Owensboro Community and Technical College, and West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Participants have the opportunity to participate in cultural and career trips to the Glema Mahr Center, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, RiverPark Center Martin Luther King Museum, Louisville Science Museum, Evansville Museum, KET television station, and the Corvette Factory.
In the past the Talent Search program has taken senior and summer trips to places like Gatlinburg, Atlanta, Louisville, St. Louis, Chicago, and a trip visiting various schools and landmarks in Kentucky.
After acceptance into the Talent Search program, regular attendance and participation at the monthly in-school workshop are required to participate in scheduled activities. All activities are paid for by the federally-funded TRIO Talent Search program.