The start of a new school year always brings excitement and possibility. For many seniors, it also comes with the anxiety of making big decisions about what comes next. Thankfully, thousands of rural Missouri students don’t have to face those choices alone. With a rootEd advisor at their high school, they have a trusted guide to help navigate college, career, or military pathways. This year is especially meaningful, as rootEd Missouri enters a new season of momentum and expansion—reaching more schools, more students, and more communities than ever before.
During the 2024-2025 year, schools with a rootEd advisor saw a 20% increase in students pursuing college or career training. FAFSA completion in rootEd schools was 13 points higher than the state average, including a 63% completion rate in Northwest Missouri – meaning more rural students are accessing education and training with less debt. With advisors ensuring students make informed decisions and access sufficient financial aid, rootEd first-year college students are 12% more likely to return to college for their second year than the average student.
But rootEd advisors support students in all pathways after high school. Last year alone, rootEd partnered with more than 700 Missouri businesses to host career fairs, job shadows, externships, and hiring events. Through the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Show-Me Careers events highlighted opportunities from companies like Gray Manufacturing and Mosaic in St. Joseph. RootEd advisors also take the lead in connecting with military recruiters, helping students with service academy applications, and taking students to military career events like those held annually at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base. Experiences like these have shown students how they can pursue higher education through career and military benefits, incurring little or no debt. As a result, the number of students pursuing certification and apprenticeship programs in Northwest Missouri has been on the rise.
This year, rootEd will expand its reach in Missouri to over 40 new high schools, about a quarter of which are in the Northwest region. That means about half of rural high schools in the state of Missouri will have a dedicated postsecondary advisor thanks to the rootEd Alliance. At this summer’s statewide conference, nearly 170 advisors came together to strengthen their practice and celebrate rootEd’s impact. A highlight was hearing directly from founder Byron Trott and Governor Mike Kehoe, who joined us in recognizing rootEd’s expansion for 2025-2026.
In Northwest Missouri alone, 20 schools are now part of the growing network dedicated to helping graduates succeed. That means more students pursuing their dreams, more schools with resources to prepare them, and more communities strengthened by a ready workforce. With advisors in nearly half of rural high schools, Missouri students are gaining the guidance and opportunities they need to thrive.
Photo: Kasey Bailey