Raven Turner is on a mission to help teach students important life skills she wished she had when she was growing up. Now, thanks to the Madison County Education Foundation (MCEF), she is one step closer. “I decided to go in the Family/Consumer Science to give students the opportunity to learn the necessary life skills such as balancing a check book and preparing for college” said Turner.

In a presentation, on Sunday, July 17, 2016 held at the Madison United Methodist Church, Bill Hinkes, Vice President of the MCEF presented Raven the 2016 Adult Learner Scholarship in the amount of $500.00. This money will help Raven with earning her Master’s Degree in Education and in obtaining her teacher certification from Liberty University.

After graduating from Madison County High School in 2011, Raven returned home having earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Bridgewater College. However, she didn’t really think about continuing her education. According to Raven, “the decision to return to college was not an easy decision because of the time and cost involved. I know this opportunity will allow me to help those kids who may have thought college was out of the reach.”

Raven is currently the Coordinator for the Skyline Cap Project Discovery helping students prepare for post high school life. She is also a cheerleading coach at Madison County High School (MCHS). As a lifelong Madison resident, Raven credits her love for education from amazing teachers at MCHS, such as Dawn Tucker and Jayne Penn-Hollar. Raven stated, “Once I get my certification, I’m so excited to work in the classroom, hopefully in Madison, to give back to a community that has given so much to me!”

The Madison County Education Foundation is proud to support Raven in achieving her dreams and hopeful that Raven’s story will inspire more adults to finish their education and reach for their goals, no matter how far away they may seem. MCEF stands ready to offer financial support to those adults who are considering furthering their education.