Perspective | North Henderson High School honored as school of excellence for supporting applications to college

Only school in North Carolina to receive designation includes all postsecondary plans in Countdown to College events

On April 2, 2025, ACT’s American College Application Campaign (ACAC), announced its annual 26 School of Excellence awardees from around the country, including North Henderson High School in Henderson County.

The campaign is “a national effort to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from under-resourced communities pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential,” according to a press release from ACAC.

Leigh Leik, a school counselor at North Henderson High School, was instrumental in bringing the recognition to her school, but she is humble about the acknowledgement.

“Receiving the ACT’s American College Application Campaign School of Excellence Award is such an honor, but I really want to emphasize that this recognition is not just for the counseling department,” she said. “It’s a reflection of the entire school and community coming together to support our students. Everyone here plays a part in helping our students prepare for life after high school, and this award belongs to all of us.”

In particular, Leik shouted out other members of the school’s student services team for their efforts, including:

• School Counselors Natalie Anderson and Joey Wilson,
• ESL High School Success Advocate America Moreno Jimenez,
• Blue Ridge Community College NC Career Coach Kate Stucke, and
• And Registrar Katie Strickland.

The centerpiece of North Henderson High School’s nomination was its College Application Week efforts for its senior students.

College Application Week is part of College for North Carolina’s (CFNC) all-year effort to help students learn about the three key college going steps: residency, financial aid, and college applications. That effort is called Countdown to College (C2C) in North Carolina, part of the ACAC. During College Application Week in October, many North Carolina colleges and universities participating in C2C wave their application fees, helping students save hundreds of dollars.

Leik and other staff at North Henderson High School start educating seniors about College Application Week in the months leading up to the event. They go to every English 4 classroom to talk to the students, and anybody who isn’t registered for the class gets targeted separately in small group senior meetings.

“We really approach it as a class-wide event for every senior, not necessarily those who have articulated that their plan is to go to a two-year or four-year college,” Leik said.

And then, during College Application Week (Oct. 21-27 in 2024), every single senior comes into the media center, which is divided into three sections: enrollment, enlistment, and employment.

“We kind of just take over the entire media center,” Leik said.

Every student has at least an hour and a half to work on whatever they need to. They can think about what they need to do to go to college, talk to representatives about joining the military, and even meet with apprenticeship coordinators from Blue Ridge Community College (Blue Ridge) to explore career options.

The school has a large Latino population and utilizes La Promesa program from Hendersonville-based True Ridge to help translate important information in Spanish during the event. 

“We just try to make it a celebration. Decorations. Music,” Leik said. “Everybody gets a folder that has their transcript, CFNC username, and login.”

CFNC is a free service of North Carolina, primarily sponsored by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. Students can go to CFNC.org to learn how to plan, apply, and pay for college, and set up an account to begin with the application process.

Devon McCarthy-James, CFNC’s regional outreach director for Western North Carolina/West, nominated North Henderson High School. She said the win was particularly significant given the devastation in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

“This year, many of our western North Carolina schools were closed and/or unable to host events as usual,” she said. “Not only did North Henderson High School host their event, but they did so with their usual extra attention to all seniors, not only those planning to attend a two-or four-year college.”

Part of North Henderson High School’s success with students comes from its partnership with Blue Ridge, Leik said. Forty-five percent of their students start out at a two-year college after high school.

Dr. Laura Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge, said that given the challenges in the region created by Hurricane Helene, North Henderson High School’s achievement has extra resonance.

“Ensuring first-generation and under-resourced students get a chance for higher education is one of the missions of Blue Ridge Community College,” she said. “We are honored to have played a part in North Henderson High School’s success, especially after the year we’ve had in this region.  Whatever the moment demands, we want to always be here to help.”

McCarthy-James pointed out that one of the things that contributed to North Henderson High School’s success is how it takes full advantage of College Application Week to set students up for future success.

“A lot of the schools that participate in College Application Week, they’ll offer an opportunity, but they won’t make it an expectation,” she said. “They won’t say that every single student who’s a senior needs to come down and do this.”

But they could, so that every student has a plan for what comes next after high school. North Henderson High School has demonstrated how to include all postsecondary plans in Countdown to College events.