Beyond the Title: What Ayers Foundation Counselors Really Do
The Ayers Foundation Trust announced on Thursday, June 12, 2025, Hardeman County Schools would receive support from the Ayers Scholars Program for the 2025-2026 school year. The program placed full-time, trained counselors and advisors to provide students with individualized guidance beginning in the eighth grade and continuing through college or other postsecondary pathways. This week, Hatchie Press will introduce you to those College Access Counselors, Sara Benard and Amanda Rau, who are at Bolivar Central High School (BCHS), and Stephanie Jones, who is at Middleton High School (MHS). All three counselors are already having a positive impact in the lives of students in Hardeman County.
Ms. Benard, Ms. Jones, and Ms. Rau took a moment collectively to answer questions about their roles as College Access Counselors at their respective high schools. September has been a busy month for all three counselors, who have already seen successes with a 100 percent Tennessee Promise application rate; several students already receiving college acceptance letters; and FAFSA ID registration in preparation for the form, which opens on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
1) What specific services will you provide to BCHS and MHS students?
A: We provide Financial Aid guidance to help students and their families understand and access financial aid. This includes assisting with FAFSA completion, helping students apply for Tennessee Promise and other state aid programs, identifying and applying for local, institutional, and national scholarships as well as explaining financial aid award letters and helping families make informed decisions. We also assist students with college applications, housing applications, college fit advising, and campus tours. We are your one stop shop for all thing’s college access. Our offices are located within the high schools, so we are available to students and their families throughout the school day to help them with anything they need!
2) How will you help students prepare for college applications and admissions?
A: We provide personalized step-by-step support. Our goal is to ensure students feel confident and prepared. We place a strong emphasis on applications in the month of September because this is when colleges in the state of Tennessee waive their application fees. We plan to provide individualized sessions to help students take full advantage of this opportunity and submit their applications early, saving money, and reducing stress. One way for students to make an appointment with us is through our scheduling tool on the platform Pick time. By providing hands-on consistent support throughout the year, we aim to remove barriers, reduce stress, and help every student take confident steps towards their post-secondary goals. You may schedule an appointment.
3) What role will you play in supporting students with the Tennessee Promise program?
A: We are the Tennessee Promise mentors for all of Hardeman County. Therefore, we complete the Tennessee Promise application with every senior at Bolivar Central High School and make sure they meet all of the requirements such as community service and completing the FAFSA. We help students find community service opportunities as needed and collect their community service hours once they are completed.
4) How do you plan to guide first-generation college students through the process?
A: Helping first generation college students is a key part of our mission. These students are often navigating unfamiliar territory and our goal is to walk alongside them and their families every step of the way. College planning can feel overwhelming especially without prior family experience. Providing support through one-on-one meetings and breaking the process down into manageable steps helps alleviate any doubt or uncertainty. By offering consistent personalized and compassionate support, we help first generation students believe in their potential, understand their options, and confidently take the next steps toward a brighter future.
5) How will you support home school students?
A: To receive services through our program, home school students must complete the Tennessee Promise application. This not only makes them eligible for the Tennessee Promise scholarship, but also allows us to identify and begin working with them. Once they have completed the application we can provide the same individualized support offered to students in Hardeman County Schools. If the student is zoned for Hardeman County and has completed the Tennessee Promise application, they are eligible for full support from the Ayers Foundation Trust. Our goal is to ensure every eligible student within the county regardless of their school setting has the tools and guidance needed to take the next step after high school.
6) What resources will students and families have access to through your work?
A: Finding scholarships, understanding financial aid offers and awards, assistance in communicating with college reps, notifications about deadlines and upcoming events.
7) How can the community best support your efforts?
A: Help us promote a culture of success beyond high school. Whether a student plan is a four-year college, community college, trade school, military, or workforce, we want them to pursue their goals and be the best at whatever that looks like for them. Participating in our events, helping with community service opportunities, and providing internships that support students’ goals. By working together, we can create a stronger support system that empowers every student in Hardeman County to pursue and achieve their educational and career goals.
8) The Ayers Foundation and its commitment to Hardeman County students.
A: What sets our work apart are the long-term relationships we build with students. Our support does not stop at high school graduation. We continue to follow up with students after they enroll in college or a program to help them stay on track and overcome any obstacles they may face. This ongoing support throughout a student’s post-secondary journey helps create the belief that is the foundation for lifelong success.
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