Making the jump from high school to college can be a daunting task and, unfortunately, many students fall through the cracks. A new program spearheaded by two Dawson-Bryant district educators is designed to help change that.

Fittingly called College Connect, the program will focus on a variety of ways to help Lawrence County students, and ultimately their parents, understand what it takes to both get into and be successful in college.

The program is being offered in partnership with the fledgling Ohio Strategic Training Center based in South Point, another relatively new initiative that is designed to help Lawrence Countians young and old gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplace and in the world.

The initial focus of College Connect will be helping students prepare for and perform better on the ACT test and understand financial aid opportunities.

Although all Lawrence County high schools and the local higher education institutions try to provide this information and help students make the transition, the reality is some simply need additional assistance to be successful.

That is where a program like College Connect comes into play. We applaud all those involved with this undertaking and hope to see it grow.

Hopefully, grants and other funding sources can be identified in the future to help make the ACT preparation available to students who cannot afford $50 per session.

Overall, this is a positive step in right direction. It can help make college accessible for more students and help those who are already planning to go be more successful.