Welcome to TnACHE

TnACHE is a successfully proven educational program that encourages Tennessee Appalachian students to pursue post-secondary and higher education. The TnACHE program administers low-cost, high-impact competitive grants and other professional services to middle and high schools for activities (campus visits, college/career fairs, etc) that encourage students to graduate from high school and prepare for post-secondary education. Since TnACHE is not affiliated with any specific educational institution, the program focuses on access to a variety of post-secondary educational opportunities (including vocational and technical schools and colleges) as well as higher education (two and four-year colleges and universities).

Modeled after successful programs in Ohio and West Virginia, TnACHE focuses on partnerships with institutes of higher education and business, industry, and community organizations to stimulate and sustain economic development in the region by raising high school graduation rates and increasing student, parent, and teacher knowledge about post-secondary educational attainment.

TnACHE Works! In East Tennessee, the TnACHE program has increased high school graduation rates, college-going rates, and established infrastructures of community-wide school support providing all students with information about and access to college. TnACHE invests in Appalachian students so that they can expect, pursue, and succeed in higher education, the workforce, and life.

The TnACHE program originated at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2002 and has been led by SouthEast Educational, Inc., a woman-directed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, since 2007. In addition to Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee, other active centers are operating in Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

The TnACHE Program targets Appalachian counties deemed distressed by the Appalachian Regional Commission. In addition, the newly-funded Tennessee Appalachian Project (TAP), with support from the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Office, will provide the same services to schools in at-risk counties as well. SEED staff members are seeking additional corporate sponsors to continue to scale up these projects to meet the needs of schools and students throughout Appalachian Tennessee and beyond.