DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A group of Decatur Public Schools eighth graders is getting a head start on their futures by earning college credits in high school.
Through a partnership with Richland Community College, students accepted into the Prep Academy Program will begin working toward both their high school diploma and an associate's degree.
“It's important that we help our students have opportunities," said Richland's Andy Hynds. "With Richland Community College, we get that opportunity. No matter what your background is, you can earn a college education through Richland. So we want to make sure the public schools understand this opportunity is there for them.”
The program allows students to build college credits throughout their high school years, putting them on track to earn an associate's degree by the time they graduate.
“This has been a good program," Hynds said. "We have now graduated a whole cohort a year ago. We have 34 students [who] are graduating in just a couple of weeks. We have students in every class from freshmen through seniors in this program. Each year, we are seeing more students finish successfully than the year before.”
This year, over 50 students were accepted into the academy, which is now in its sixth year. School leaders say the continued growth reflects increasing interest and success among participating students.
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