CCISD, CTC hold Early College information session

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Independent School District (CCISD) and Central Texas College (CTC) joined together on Thursday to offer high school students and their parents two information sessions on their early college program.

Two information sessions were held at the Lea Ledger Auditorium, during which CCISD superintendent Joe Burns, Director of College and Career Readiness Russell Porterfield, and Dual Enrollment Liaison from CTC Diane Hernandez gave attendees a rundown on how the program works and what parents and students need to do if they want to be involved in the program. Afterward, they responded to questions.

The early college program is available starting in the fall 2017 semester for Copperas Cove High School and Crossroads High School juniors and seniors.

Those who attended the event received the Fall 2017 schedule for CTC as well as an early college program student checklist. The checklist helps make sure that the students meet all the requirements and make all of the deadlines.

During his session, Burns talked about the program and how the school district has worked on building its relationship with CTC to help provide as many students as possible with this opportunity. 

Students will be able to pursue either an academic or vocational program and choose classes which will help them work towards the career of their choice. 

“We want our students to maximize their potential, not what we think it ought to be,” said Burns.

The district will pay for academic or vocational courses to advance the students’ degrees; they will not pay for ‘for fun’ courses. The students will need to pay for their own books, though.

Hernandez talked about what students will need in order to qualify for the program, and why it might be beneficial to participate.

“Dual enrollment does require responsibility, motivation, and self-discipline to successfully complete the college courses, but in the end, it will be well worth it,” said Hernandez.

Porterfield used his session to talk about degree plans and how to navigate college websites to make sure that the courses taken will transfer to other colleges. Many of CTC’s classes will transfer with most Texas public colleges, but students were encouraged to make certain before taking classes.

“I think it’s amazing that we can actually go on campus,” said Loren Carter (17). “I’ve heard about it from people who go to Killeen schools…I think it’s awesome that we’re not learning from computers. We’re actually going onto the campus to the schools to get a college degree.”

Carter said that she plans on pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting.