Bolivar, Mo. – Bolivar High School’s own Alana Shockley was honored by Governor Mike Kehoe at the 2025 rootEd Missouri Awards Celebration for her extraordinary commitment to helping rural students prepare for life after high school. Shockley received the prestigious “110% Award” in recognition of her passion, creativity, and dedication in her very first year as a rootEd advisor.
The ceremony, held at the Wyndham Executive Center in Columbia, brought together advisors from across the state alongside state leaders and education partners. Governor Kehoe praised Shockley and fellow honorees for their impact on Missouri’s students.
“Today, we celebrate the outstanding rootEd advisors who are helping Missouri students prepare for high-demand careers and training pathways—especially honorees Kristy Jones, Alana Shockley, and Kaitlin Hopke,” said Governor Mike Kehoe. “rootEd advisors are guiding rural students toward brighter futures while strengthening our state’s workforce. Their impact is clear, and I’m proud to expand this resource to more rural schools across Missouri this year.”
Shockley quickly made her mark at Bolivar High School by launching creative FAFSA nights, fostering strong parent partnerships, and co-hosting a career fair with the Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce. These efforts have ensured that every student—whether interested in college, technical training, apprenticeships, or the military—has access to guidance and opportunities for advancement.
“I am humbled to receive such recognition by the rootEd Alliance, and equally grateful to the Bolivar R-I School District for seeing the value in my position at the high school,” Shockley said. “My hope is that our students and families continue to benefit from such an incredible program.”
Her recognition came during a year of expansion for rootEd Missouri, a public-private partnership that places dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools. Since its launch in 2018, rootEd has supported more than 45,000 students across Missouri. Governor Kehoe recently signed a budget that expands funding for the program, which will now reach 174 schools—nearly half of all rural high schools in the state.