Video: First Class of Early College High School Attends Orientation

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GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The first class has been chosen for Mississippi’s first Early College High School.
The four-year program is designed to have the students graduate with not only a high school diploma, but also an associate degree.
This fall, 62 students will take a different approach  when it comes to school as they step into the Early College High School on the campus of East Mississippi Community College.

“Education as it is has been the same for so long and now this is an opportunity for change, for something dramatically different,” said mother of a ECHS student, Carrie Grice.

Grice’s daughter is in the first class. The school targets families where college has not traditionally been a goal. It offers individualized curriculum’s for each student and the Grices’ were attracted by the dual enrollment options.

“The fact that she’ll be able to graduate with her high school diploma and an associate degree in the same period of time that someone would just get a high school diploma is the big selling point. She wants to perhaps be a lawyer so this is a good jump-start on that,” added Grice.

Incoming freshman, Shelby Grice, says she’s excited about the new journey.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of just being my best and people pushing me to do everything I can do and I’m excited that I’ll be around people who are trying to get the same thing as I am and not people who just don’t care,” said ECHS student Shelby Grice.

Columbus Middle School student Richard Gathings will also be in the Early College High School’s first class.

He says this is a chance to get ahead of the game.

“It’s a really good opportunity for me and a lot of kids. It gives us an early start, see what we can do and what we can achieve,” said ECHS student Richard Gathings.

The 4-year program also means a heavier work load for parents.

Aundrea Byrd says she is ready to support her son.

“To think that our babies are under a lot of pressure, we’re going to have to work hard. There’s going to be some late nights, some crying, some ‘I want to quit’ but quitting is not an option for the children of the early college high school, we are gearing up for a great year,” said Byrd.
All 8th grade students in Lowndes, Clay, Noxubee and Oktibbeha were eligible to apply.

48% of the accepted applicants are first-generation college students.

 

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