Kids getting a jump on college
By Frank Bradley Sentinel writer

It's not exactly a program for everybody.

It's really not for students getting ready to move into high school and wanting to get by doing as little studying as they can.

It's not for students who are serious about team sports or those looking for an active teen social life without having to stretch themselves academically.

It's not even for serious students who really like the school they are in and don't want to attend classes away from their friends who might not be really into school stuff.

For others, however, those who feel ambitious enough. Those who want to get a jump on college and are willing to take a serious stab at learning as much as they can as fast as they can, it could be just the thing as the saying goes, "that floats their boat."

We're talking about a program started two years ago at Tri-County Community College for rising 9th Graders, who want to finish high school with a couple years of college under their belt. Kids motivated to earn a high school diploma and an Associate Degree or get two years of credit toward a Bachelor's degree-- tuition free, while their buddies are hanging out their high school years around the town square.

Sound to good to be true? Well, it's not.

The program is there for those interested enough to fill out an application, and to persuade their parents attend an evening meeting at TCCC and to persuade their parents to attend an evening meeting at TCCC on either Monday or Tuesday of next week, depending on where they are currently going to middle school or even if they are being home schooled.

Principal Sue Ledford, who has headed up the program for the past two years, says things are going quite smoothly at Tri-County Early College High School, where ninth and tenth graders are getting their high school work done and completing college courses.

"We've got some really great kids," Ledford told me on Monday. "They are very resilient. They have some failures, but they hang in there and try, work harder."

On Monday at 6:30 p.m., Ledford will meet with parents or students interested college who are currently attending school at Andrews, Murphy and Ranger Middle school. On Tuesday at the same time, she will meet with parents and students from Hayesville, Hiwassee Dam, Martins Creek, as well as Homeschoolers and those from The Learning Center. both meetings are located in the Lecture Hall (room 132) of the McSwain Building on the main campus at TCCC.

Applications for Fall Semester 2008 admissions are available at the meetings.

According to Ledford, current 9th graders are also encouraged to apply and will be considered on a case by case basis.

At the Early College, classes are held in mobile units on the campus of TCCC. Classes run from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Monday through Fridays. During the school year, Sophomores stay late on Mondays to study and get extra help. On Tuesdays, Freshmen stay late.

Ledford said that the way classes are arranged that 9th Graders take four subjects each semester as well as taking four credit hours of college work. This year they are taking Study Skills, P.E., Health and Computer Systems college courses.

Sophomores are taking Basic College English for two semesters and either Political Science or American History.

Students also have the option of taking a variety of college subjects, currently including Music Appreciation, Religion, Myth and Human Cultures, Art and Spanish I and II.

There are currently about 50 students in the program, according to Ledford. And for those, they have two school counselors, five teachers and a teacher's assistant. Students take the college courses with the regular college faculty.

Upon graduation from the Early College, students may transfer to a university to continue working tward a four-year degree or enter the work force armed with the skills necessary for success in the 21st century. The Early College program is funded through the North Carolina New Schools Project.

Early College might not be the educational track for you or your child, but if it is, you might want to stop by next week at TCCC and take a look at it.

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