Community R-VI School District recently announced its participation in the expanded rootEd Missouri Career Advising Initiative, a statewide effort to ensure rural high school students have access to a dedicated college and career advisor to support their success after graduation. rootEd advisors provide all seniors with one-on-one career and college advising to ensure they graduate on a path to a well-paying job—whether through college, career training, apprenticeships, or military service. As part of the initiative, rootEd advisors also partner with the local business community to help introduce students to in-demand career paths, including those close to home.

The Missouri Career Advising Initiative is a partnership between the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and rootEd Missouri. rootEd Missouri is a program led by Ozarks Technical Community College and the national nonprofit rootEd Alliance, which works to increase economic mobility and access to opportunities for the next generation of rural Americans. Haley Larson will serve as the rootEd advisor at Community High School for the 2026-27 school year. Larson has taught high school English for 13 years at R6. She was named Community’s teacher of the year in the Heartland RPDC region for DESE this past school year.

Larson will specifically be working individually with students to:

• Explore careers and apply for college or training programs that support their path

• Navigate financial aid opportunities, including FAFSA completion

• Enroll in college or career training, earn a workplace credential, and/or enlist in the military

• Successfully transition from high school, which may include help with housing, transportation, and other needs

As part of MCAI, Community R-VI and Haley Larson will receive ongoing training, data insights, and operational guidance from rootEd Missouri and will work alongside the school counselor Jennifer Gilman and school staff to support R6 students.

“We’re proud of our partnership with rootEd Missouri and to bring this proven model of student support to our community,” said Chad Harter, superintendent. “Through this ongoing collaboration, we are helping ensure our students graduate with a plan for success and the confidence to pursue it.”

“I am excited to support Community students, and look forward to working with our seniors,” said rootEd advisor Haley Larson. “Together, we’re helping students turn their goals into real, actionable plans for the future.”

Launched in a handful of Missouri schools in 2018, rootEd Alliance’s strong track record of success was recognized with a significant increase in state funding through Missouri’s fiscal 2026 budget, signed in July 2026. This expansion will allow rootEd to serve nearly 180 schools statewide—including Community R-VI—reaching approximately half of all rural high schools in Missouri with a dedicated college and career advisor.