Education and testing organization ACT recently launched its first annual College and Career Readiness Program, an awards program that recognizes individual or organizational efforts to help students prepare for their future.

In a press release, Jon Whitmore, CEO of ACT, says the new program will highlight work in both the education and workforce sectors, recognizing people who help students succeed in higher-education institutions or in their careers. It will culminate in a national event taking place at the ACT National Gala on College and Career Readiness in Washington, D.C., this May.

Seven states will participate in this year’s inaugural program: Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Participating states nominate individuals within their state to compete for the national awards. Each state will have its own event to nominate individuals in four award categories: student, high school, community college and employer. The winner of each category will be chosen by a national selection committee and presented with an award at the national event in Washington.

The first state event was held on March 14 in Montgomery, Ala. ACT honored the finalists for the state of Alabama during a luncheon at The Young House in Old Alabama Town.

Ranjit Sidhu, ACT’s senior vice president of strategic initiatives, says the purpose of the program is to promote awareness of readiness efforts across the country, according to the press release. He also says the events will provide a glimpse into ACT’s vision for the future by showcasing innovations currently in development at the company.

ACT reports every year on the percentage of ACT-tested high school students who meet college-readiness benchmarks in the four major subjects of English, reading, mathematics and science. In 2012, it found only 25 percent of students met the College Readiness Benchmarks in all four subjects. Only 46 percent met the College Readiness Benchmark in mathematics and 31 percent met the College Readiness Benchmark in science.

ACT is a nonprofit educational organization that provides services to education professionals and students in all 50 states and 125 countries. It is responsible for the ACT test, a placement test taken by 1.6 million students every year.

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