Students get jump on college courses

Oberlin City School students are getting a head start on college academics thanks to the Lorain County Community College CCP courses.

According to Oberlin High School Guidance Counselor Jennifer Bracken, there has been a 300 percent increase in participation over the past five years. The 2009-2010 school year saw 15 total participants in grades seven through twelve. Then, in 20192020, 77 students in grades seven through twelve took advantage of the college courses.

“We are very proud of the students who have been able to participate and save so much money once they start college,” Bracken said in a release from the school district.

Data shows that 91.3 percent of students earned a C or better for the 2019-2020 school year when taking CCP courses. That is a 10.5 percent increase from 2015-2016.

“Our minority students are taking advantage of this opportunity and are doing so well,” Oberlin City Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hall said.

For the 2019-2020 academic year, 23.4 percent of African American students enrolled in the CCP courses whereas in 2015-2016, only 5.3 percent participated in the CCP classes. Likewise, Hispanic/Latino students increased to 3.9 percent whereas in 2015-2016 saw zero student participation from the Hispanic/Latino cultures.

“Our high school guidance counselors have done an outstanding job in helping all of our students understand the importance of secondary education,” Dr. Hall said. “And, it’s showing in the data which is incredible.”

Senior earns Associate’s Degree from LCCC

For Oberlin High School senior Tessa Newson, she went above and beyond just taking a few CCP courses and will graduate with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Lorain County Community College in spring 2021, as well as receiving her high school diploma at the May 29 commencement ceremony.

“She will enter college in the fall with enough credits to be considered a junior. She has worked hard and is excited to graduate,” Bracken said.

In the beginning, Newson said it was a bit of a challenge to juggle both high school and college coursework due to the fact that she had to become “comfortable with the layout of college coursework.”

“I found that I had to stay on top of things and further apply my organization, time management, motivation and independent skills to successfully manage time for both high school and college work,” she said.

But in the end, it all paid off as Newson is a first generation college student on her father’s side of the family.

“Both my mom and her mother went to Lorain County Community College. That being said, overall, I am the first in my family to go away to college. I plan to attend the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and major in psychology,” Newson said.

With her associate’s degree in liberal arts fully transferable, after she finishes her Bachelor’s Degree, she will continue to pursue her Masters in Psychology.

“My dream career is to be either a therapist or a life coach,” Newson said.

Newson said her advice to incoming high school students

would be to enroll in CCP courses.

“Taking CCP courses has countless benefits and they help

develop critical thinking skills, allow you to be independent in your studies, give you a good challenge,

enhance your education experience, and at best, prepare you for college,” Newson said.

SUBMITTED Oberlin High School senior Tessa Newsom earned her Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Lorain County Community College.