A-CC High School Completion Initiative, Inc

Discovering Voices. Building Futures.

When a young person learns to tell their own story, they begin to see themselves differently. At the A-CC High School Completion Initiative, Inc. (HSCI), that transformation happens every day.

Based in Athens, Georgia, HSCI helps youth ages 8 to 24 develop the academic and professional skills needed to graduate from high school and succeed in the postsecondary pathway of their choice — college, trade school, employment, entrepreneurship, or the military.

Learning Through Media

Youth are drawn to HSCI by the excitement of radio and video production. They receive hands-on instruction in:

• Writing, research, and interviewing

• Announcing and public speaking

• Program planning, editing, and engineering

Each week, participants produce content for our youth-run internet station MEU Radio Athens and local FM station WXAG 92.7FM. Programs include Education Matters, a teen-led talk show focused on education and community issues, and live play-by-play coverage of local youth and high school sports.

Our Education Matters Youth Reporters after-school program helps elementary and middle school students build literacy skills through journalism. In 2025, 82% of participants improved their state ELA test scores.

Developing Tomorrow’s Storytellers

Older youth (ages 15–24) create Athens Pupils, a video newscast on our YouTube channel, Education Matters Network. Through this program, they explore careers in videography, digital media, and filmmaking — gaining experience that can lead to internships, certifications, or employment.

We continue tracking participants for a year after completion to measure long-term success and provide mentoring support.

More Than Media

Through HSCI, young people learn creativity, teamwork, critical thinking, and civic awareness. They also:

• Receive mentoring and academic monitoring

• Participate in college and career tours

• Gain exposure to new career paths

• Earn stipends for their work

Why Your Giving Tuesday Gift Matters

Your donation helps us:

• Provide stipends for economically disadvantaged youth

• Expand after-school and career exploration programs

• Purchase and maintain media equipment

• Take students on college and career exposure trips

Every contribution — no matter the size — helps a young person move closer to a diploma, a career, and a sense of purpose.

This Giving Tuesday, give Athens youth the power to speak, create, and succeed.