GTECHS: First Class All the Way

MAYHEW, Miss. (WCBI)- We first brought you the story of Golden Triangle Early College High School back in 2015.

Since then we have followed the students as they have navigated their way through high school and college classes.

Now they have reached the final stop on their journey.

Graduation is the day most students can’t wait to reach. They put in all this hard work, and it’s finally paying off.

But this group of grads is walking out with so much more.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for so long. We’ve worked super hard to get here, and now we’re here,” said senior Destiny Orr.

The past four years have been a whirlwind for the Golden Triangle Early College High School seniors.

Many of the students are graduating with an associates degree or a substantial number of college hours.

But it hasn’t been an easy road.

These seniors have been here since day one. There have been challenges, but they want to set the standard for the classes that will follow them.

“Figuring out what pathway they needed to take when they went maybe the academic route at EMCC or making sure they had access and information to all the career technical programs so that they could make an informed decision about what they want to do,” said GTECHS principal Jill Savely.

The goal of this school is to give students the tools they need for life. Be it more education or going directly into the workforce.

“I think I’ve decided that I’m going to work for the railroad for my future. That job was actually offered to me, and although it’s a little different than what I wanted to do for a living, I really don’t wanna turn it down,” said senior Zack Guiton.

“I’m leaving here with so many new friends. They feel like family. So many people that I know I can call on when I leave here. With the education, I’m leaving here with an Associates degree which is super crazy to me,” said Orr.

School leaders say they have seen the seniors grow during the process.

“So many of them have great dreams, and they’ve built a foundation for the dreams right here at East Mississippi Community College. We are very proud of that group,” said EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks.

Jill Savely says she hopes to see the program continue to build from here.

“The challenge is to make sure that every student has a personalized experience while they are here. And to make sure that all of that enthusiasm that we had for this first group and in the beginning remains and that when it’s year ten year 12 we’re still just as excited to have those freshmen come in as we were in the fall of 2015,” said Savely.

54 seniors will be walking across the stage on May 11th. All of them with a high school diploma and 40 with an associates degree or a career technical certification.