Liannet Bergantino says her mother’s work helping people has been an inspiration ever since she was a child.Next fall the Intrepid College Prep Independence Academy High School graduating senior will follow that inspiration to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Bergantino plans to pursue a career in healthcare and continue down the path she started in high school of serving her community.

Fifth-graders walking into Intrepid College Prep’s Opportunity Academy Middle School this month will immediately notice something different.Unlike traditional public schools in Davidson County, their home room is named after a college or university. Director of Organizational Advancement Abby Barton says it’s all part of putting students on the path to higher education.