tnAchieves brought its statewide Prosperity Tour to Obion County on Tuesday, September 15 sharing local student outcomes with county officials, school partners and community leaders.
The Obion County visit is one of 67 stops on the tour, one in every county tnAchieves serves. Throughout September, tnAchieves is visiting communities across the state to report local results, connect with employers and community partners to increase student outcomes, and recruit the mentors students will need next year.
tnAchieves operates TN Promise in Obion County, providing every high school senior access to tuition-free community and technical college. While the program was initially focused on increasing access to higher education, it realized that access was just the beginning and that students needed additional assistance to remain on campus and ultimately graduate. Launching COMPLETE in 2021, the organization now follows those students through college with proactive coaching and emergency grant support, and into the workforce through employer partnerships and job shadowing.
Since the launch of COMPLETE, the tnAchieves three-year graduation rate has increased by eight percentage points to 45%, the highest in program history. In Obion County, tnAchieves students graduate within three years at 70%, well above the statewide tnAchieves rate.
Obion County's 225 tnAchieves graduates are estimated to generate $155.8 to $175.3 million in lifetime earnings, and statewide, 84.7% of tnAchieves graduates live and work in Tennessee. Obion County students are also filing for financial aid at a high rate. Eighty-one percent filed the 2026-2027 FAFSA, compared to 59% nationally.
“tnAchieves recognizes that access is never enough and graduation cannot be the finish line,” said tnAchieves President and CEO Krissy DeAlejandro. “Access opens the door. Completion changes the trajectory. A meaningful career creates prosperity.”
Recognizing Obion County Partners and Mentors
During the stop, tnAchieves recognized the community partners and longtime mentors whose commitment has shaped student outcomes in Obion County.
Local employers, school leaders, county officials and community organizations have partnered with tnAchieves to help Obion County students enroll in college, stay on track to graduation and connect with careers close to home. That partnership shows up in the results, from a 70% three year graduation rate to the 21,145 community service hours Obion County students have completed.
tnAchieves also thanked the Obion County mentors who have volunteered with students year after year. Mentors work with students in their own community, keeping them on track through the college deadlines that often determine whether a student enrolls. Statewide, more than 200 mentors are recognized in the 2026 Prosperity Report for serving students every year since the launch of TN Promise in 2015.
How Obion County Can Help
tnAchieves needs 5,000 mentors statewide to serve the Class of 2027, including 22 in Obion County. Mentors are paired with students in their own county and receive training, a handbook and ongoing support from tnAchieves staff. Mentors spend just one hour per month helping students navigate the college-going process or navigating their early career. Obion County residents interested in serving can register at tnAchieves.org/mentors by November 20, 2026.
Additional Obion County data, including college completion coaching, emergency grant support and community service hours, is available at tnAchieves.org/county-data. Statewide results, including the graduation and earnings data referenced above, are in the 2026 Prosperity Report at tnAchieves.org/prosperity-report. The full tour schedule and registration for upcoming stops are at tnAchieves.org/tour.
About tnAchieves
tnAchieves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built on a simple belief: every student in Tennessee, regardless of family income, zip code or academic preparedness, deserves the opportunity to earn a postsecondary credential. Our work follows students from high school, where coaches and mentors guide them toward college enrollment, through college, where near-peer COMPLETE Coaches help them navigate the barriers that too often derail completion, and into career, connecting graduates with high-demand employers across Tennessee. The result is economic mobility for students, their communities and Tennessee's future workforce. Learn more at tnAchieves.org.
Media Contact
Graham Thomas
Chief Community and Government Relations Officer, tnAchieves
(615) 604-1306 |
Brand kit (logos, stock photos and B-roll): tnachieves.org/brand-kit
Photo L to R:
Tim Watkins
John Warner*
Tyler Ford
Lindsay Theobald*
Ricky Boyd*
Tracy Boucher-Williams*
Ed Sims*
Greg Barclay*
Linda Barclay
Heather Kendall
*Long term mentors recognized
