Central Texas College partners with Fort Knox High School to provide free ACT prep

By Katherine Knott, Fort Knox News Contributing WriterFebruary 9, 2018

Fort Knox High School has teamed up with Central Texas College-Fort Knox to help its students prepare for the American College Test.

The college, with a satellite campus at the education center on post, is providing free preparatory sessions for the ACT before each testing date this spring, said Pamela Regester, site director for CTC. The sessions are once a week on Thursdays at the high school and will be led by a professor.

Fort Knox High School and the school board expressed an interest in having ACT preparatory sessions, Regester said.

"They recognized a need," she said. "They wanted to promote and to encourage students to take the ACT.

We were able to step up to the plate."

Regester commended the school board in recognizing the need and responding to it.

Fort Knox High School principal Brian Perry said the preparatory sessions were part of an effort to increase ACT scores.

Perry said students are excited about the ACT help, and some are asking if they can take more classes.

The first round of classes will wrap up this week before the Feb. 10 exam. The ACT is offered every other month.

Regester said the sessions are comprehensive. Participating students learn test-taking strategies and review lessons. The ACT measures students' knowledge of science, math, reading and English.

She said the college had 23 students participate in the first class.

"That far exceeded the projection of 3 to 5," she said. "(That's) truly a good interest."

For CTC, it's a natural partnership.

"We are in the business of education," she said. "This lets Fort Knox know we're here … we're here and committed to students."

Regester said the college also is working with Fort Knox on a long-term partnership for dual-credit classes. Students at Fort Knox could take college courses at CTC and apply those credits toward high school graduation.