HAMLET — Three Richmond Senior High School students will be participating in two graduation ceremonies this spring, turning their tassels at Richmond Community College’s commencement exercises in May prior to tossing their caps in the air at their high school graduation in June.

Hailey Bass, Mikhaila Hudson and Jelisa Robinson are all just one college course shy of completing their associate degrees, with plans to finish those courses over the summer. Because they’re less than five credit hours from graduation and plan to complete those requirements by the 2017-18 academic year, they’re allowed to participate in RichmondCC’s spring commencement for 2017.

Bass, Hudson and Robinson all got a head start in their college education by taking free dual enrollment classes offered through RichmondCC’s Career and College Promise program.

Hailey Bass

Bass said she decided in ninth grade that she wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy, so she took advantage of the dual enrollment program to expedite the process.

“I’m very appreciative of my parents encouraging and supporting me through the process,” said Bass, who plans to attend Campbell University this fall.

“Everybody at RichmondCC has also been great and offered a lot of support, too,” added Bass, who said her advice for other students considering taking college classes in high school would be to stay determined and focused.

Mikhaila Hudson

Hudson is another student who decided to take free college classes at RichmondCC while in high school.

“My mom and I were discussing my career plans the summer prior to my 11th-grade year, and she brought up how cool it would be if I could take as many classes as possible and get as close as I could to an associate degree by the time I graduated high school, especially since I have big plans that are going to require a lot of education,” said Hudson, who wants to become a trauma surgeon.

After high school, she plans to continue her education at East Carolina University or the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, followed by medical school.

“Now that I’m this close to achieving my associate degree, I’d definitely say it’s all been worth it,” she added.

Jelisa Robinson

Robinson said she didn’t realize the opportunity she had to finish high school so close to an associate degree until meeting with RichmondCC’s Director of K-12 Partnerships Kary Edmondson prior to registering for classes at the end of her junior year.

“Mrs. Edmondson pointed out that I could come really close to obtaining my degree if I continued to apply myself the way I was doing,” Robinson said. “Now that I’ve about done it, I’m very proud of myself, especially realizing how few people get this opportunity.”

Robinson’s future plans include majoring in biology at Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish. She wants to be a pediatric oncologist.

She said her favorite RichmondCC courses were economics with Kim Parsons, math with Holli Brown and Spanish with Gabriel Mena.

When asked what advice she would have for other students considering making a serious effort toward an associate degree while in high school, Robinson said, “Work hard and never give up.”

“One thing people seem to find surprising is you can still have a high school life while taking these college courses,” Robinson said. “You just also have to make sure to make time to stay on top of your work. But if you want something and are willing to work for it, never let anyone stop you.”

Earn College Credit for Free

The Career and College Promise program allows high school students — private, public or home schooled — to be dually enrolled in high school and college. They earn credit toward both their high school diploma and college degree when they successfully complete CCP courses.

The college classes are offered for free to high school students, which helps them save thousands of dollars on their college education. Highly motivated students like Bass, Hudson and Robinson earned a college degree for free through the CCP program.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our kids, and they’ve taken full advantage of the process and it’s certainly paying off for them,” Richmond Senior High School Principal Jim Butler said. “These three students certainly serve as a guide to others as to what is possible if you dedicate yourself to taking these college courses in high school. We are proud of them, and we hope more students take advantage of this opportunity.”

Pathway to the RichmondCC Guarantee

Successfully completing two CCP classes while in high school is one of the requirements of the RichmondCC Guarantee plan for two years of free college tuition and fees.

As a parent of two sons in college and as someone who paid for his own college, Butler knows the financial burden that college can be. This is why he applauds the Career and College Promise program as well as the RichmondCC Guarantee.

“We’re taking down those barriers between what’s possible and what’s not possible. No student should ever have to say that money or opportunity is not there for them to go to college,” Butler said. “The Guarantee is a great path, a great avenue to having access to continue your education beyond high school.”

The RichmondCC Guarantee is available to legal residents of Scotland and Richmond counties who have taken at least two dual enrollment courses at RichmondCC and graduate high school with an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or above.

“Beginning this fall semester, we had 74 students take advantage of the Guarantee, so they are on their way to two years of free college tuition and fees,” Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC, said. “The excitement over the RichmondCC Guarantee has helped spur more students to take advantage of the free college classes offered through the Career and College Promise program, and we look forward to its continued growth as more people recognize the savings it provides.”

Wylie D. Bell is director of marketing and communications for Richmond Community College.

Courtesy photo Hailey Bass wants to pursue a career in pharmacy, so she took advantage of Richmond Community College’S dual enrollment program to expedite the process.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_RCC_DE_Hailey-Bass_CCP.jpgCourtesy photo Hailey Bass wants to pursue a career in pharmacy, so she took advantage of Richmond Community College’S dual enrollment program to expedite the process.

Courtesy photo Mikhaila Hudson plans to continue her education at East Carolina University or the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, followed by medical school. The numerous college credits she accrued through Richmond Community College’s dual enrollment program has given her a big head start on her college education. Courtesy photo Jelisa Robinson plans to major in biology at Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish. She wants to be a pediatric oncologist. With nearly an associate degree from Richmond Community College already completed, she is well on her way to junior status at Appalachian.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_RCC_DE_Mikhaila-Hudson_CCP.jpgCourtesy photo Mikhaila Hudson plans to continue her education at East Carolina University or the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, followed by medical school. The numerous college credits she accrued through Richmond Community College’s dual enrollment program has given her a big head start on her college education. Courtesy photo Jelisa Robinson plans to major in biology at Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish. She wants to be a pediatric oncologist. With nearly an associate degree from Richmond Community College already completed, she is well on her way to junior status at Appalachian.

Courtesy photo
Jelisa Robinson plans to major in biology at Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish. She wants to be a pediatric oncologist. With nearly an associate degree from Richmond Community College already completed, she is well on her way to junior status at Appalachian.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_RCC_DE_Jelisa-Robinson_CCP.jpgCourtesy photo
Jelisa Robinson plans to major in biology at Appalachian State University with a minor in Spanish. She wants to be a pediatric oncologist. With nearly an associate degree from Richmond Community College already completed, she is well on her way to junior status at Appalachian.

By Wylie D. Bell

For the Daily Journal