We are committing almost a quarter of a million dollars to the Kanawha County Board of Education for a technology training and computer lab and TV studio for Riverside High School in the eastern part of Kanawha County. The equipment will expose students to new learning and career opportunities. With the help of ARC's investment in education, the percentage of adults with a high school diploma has doubled in the Region. With ARC's help, the Clay County Board of Education will implement a workforce readiness program to provide support to schools for the placement of students in appropriate worksite experiences. The program will provide a link between businesses and schools that will give students an advantage in identifying a future career.
Clay County is one of West Virginia's severely distressed counties.
And most significant of all, since the inception of ARC, the poverty rate in our counties has been cut in half, and some parts of our Appalachian Region have become fully integrated into the national economy. Since 1993, ARC has reduced its distressed counties from 115 to 98. Our mission is not complete. All parts of the Region have not benefited equally from this economic growth. Per capita income levels are still low, and basic services need to be improved.