“…However, regardless of first-generation status or low-income status, Appalachian students on average have been shown to struggle with the transition into college (Bryan & Simmons, 2009), are likely to select local two-year institutions over four-year institutions (Wright, 2012), and are more likely than their peers to exit college for a range of reasons (Bryan & Simmons, 2009;Hlinka, 2017;Howley et al, 1996;Wilson & Gore, 2009). These challenges can be particularly pervasive and detrimental to recruiting of participants for programs like ACTION: even when offered financial incentives like hourly pay or stipends, students from rural Appalachian areas have been shown to have strong community networks that rely on these students in a variety of ways-physical labor, emotional support, transportation, childcare-that require extensive time commitments that compete with both school commitments and programs like ACTION (Bryan et al, 2009;Hlinka, 2017;Wright, 2012). When the ACTION Program is placed within the context of these Appalachian educational attainment challenges, the result of the program suggests the model may be having some positive effect on educational attainment and success.…”