Can’t wait for college
While most high school students strive towards the eventual goal of a high school diploma, some aim a little higher, striving to earn a diploma AND get a head start on their college credits. Thanks to the increased of
fering of dual enrollment and advanced placement classes at Rappahannock County High School, along with the ability to take classes at local community colleges, in person or online, those individuals who have the desire to earn college credits in high school now have the opportunity.
Recently three RCHS students were recognized for realizing just such an opportunity, with all three of them earning 33 college credit hours concurrent with their high school classwork. All three receives Governor’s Scholars Certificates; Julia Estes and Joshua Racer were honored with a Governor’s Medallion while Kayla Robey was honored with a Pre-Allied Health Pin. The awards were given in recognition of the college credit hours earned by all three Rapp Students while simultaneously completing their high school curriculum.
Lord Fairfax Community College will hold a student recognition ceremony for all Governor’s Medallion and Pre-Allied Heath pin recipients on Sunday, April 2 at 2 PM. The RCHS students who earned these honors were honored locally in a brief cap and gown ceremony last week, attended by their parents, school administrators, and an LFCC representative.
Under the direction of Principal Michael Tupper, Guidance Counselors Michelle Papa and Dani Pond, and Central Office Director of Curriculum Shannon Grims-
ley, RCHS has been working diligently to increase its offerings leading to college credit. Currently RCHS offers Dual Enrollment Classes (classes taken in high school that earn college credit) in both English and History, with Math expected to be added to the mix in the 2017-18 academic year. Additionally RCHS currently offers four Advanced Placement courses in the subject areas of English, History and Government, courses also taken on site at RCHS. And RCHS students have access to a plethora of AP courses not taught in the division but available in house via the Virtual Virginia online distance learning program.
While students do have the flexibility to take LFCC college credit courses while still in high school, the goal is to offer most if not all of these credit bearing courses on school grounds, keeping our students here in Rappahannock County as long as we can. Plans are also underway to expand the certificate program career and technical education (CTE) courses currently offered primarily at LFCC campuses. The aim is to ease the scheduling conflicts inherent in taking classes at two different locations and the hope is to gradually increase the number of certificate bearing CTE classes offered on site at Rapp or locally in the community.
Getting a head start on a college diploma or a career plan is certainly a viable option for RCHS students, as Julia, Josh, Kayla and others before them have proven. As the programs improve and increase, including CTE programs, many more Rapp students look to follow those leads as they too strive to get the most out of their high school experience.