posted August 19, 2008
A year ago, Ridgeland High School senior Dedra Barrett became one of the first students to ever be accepted into the Early College Program at Northwestern Technical College. This month, she has become the first student in the program to receive her award from the college, while working towards finishing her high school diploma.
Ms. Barrett earned a certificate in the Early Childhood Program at Northwestern Technical College based in Rock Spring. "Early College helped me realize what I want to do with my life," wrote Ms. Barrett in a paper this year for the new program. "My dream is to become a kindergarten teacher." Early College first opened its doors in the summer of 2007 to help students who were considered at-risk for dropping out of high school.
"She is very dependable, self-motivated, and extremely goal oriented," says Brook Mobley, director of Early College at Northwestern. "We are proud of each of our students we currently have enrolled from across Northwest Georgia." Ms. Barrett is now in the Associate Degree Early Childhood Program at Northwestern and plans to transfer to the University of West Georgia next year after she completes her high school diploma next May.
During this first year of the NTC Early College program, five students from Northwest Georgia High Schools earned enough credits to receive certificates in their field. They are Ms. Barrett, Chasity Bradley of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School, Trevor Gant of Ringgold High School, Joey Hiliand of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School, and Zach Williams of Ringgold High School.
Early College students at Northwestern Technical College complete their high school credits with their home high schools by way of Odyssey Ware, software which allows the students to fulfill their high school diploma requirements.
Currently, the Early College program is in its second year of service to the students and high schools of Catoosa and Walker County. "This is a project that our last President, Dr. (Ray) Brooks, was very passionate about starting," said Jeff King, Northwestern Technical College interim president. "I feel the same way about the opportunity. It's one which is something these students really can't afford to miss out on."
At the completion of the first year of the Early College project this past Spring, Northwestern honored nine high school students who earn their high school diplomas, by way of the new project. They are Twila Atwell, Merissa Hall, and Joey Hiland of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School; Cody Azbill, Grace Neff, and Shelby Reuse of Ringgold High School; and April Holcombe, Jessica Lacey, and Amber Queen of LaFayette High School.
Schools in Dade and Chattooga County have shown an interest in the program serving as a possible tool for some of their students. Currently, those counties are not active participants in the program. At participating high schools, students must first be referred to Northwestern Technical College by officials at their high school for them to be considered for a spot in the Early College Program. For more information on Early College at Northwestern Technical College, call 764-3670.
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