Middle-Early College Graduates Honored

Subject: News Release - Middle-Early College Graduates Honored

NOTE:  This release also is attached as a Word document.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 9, 2009 / Middle-Early College Graduates Honored

13 Middle/Early College students graduate with high school diploma and
college degree

GREENVILLE - Greenville Technical Charter High School acknowledged 13
students in the senior class with very special honors during
commencement exercises in late May.  These graduates earned and were
awarded both a high school diploma and a college degree at the same
time.

Founded in 1998, Greenville Tech Charter High is one of the state's
seven Middle/Early College schools.  The Middle/Early College concept is
a blended secondary/college model that bridges the gap between high
school and college. Students enroll in both high school and college
courses simultaneously.  In most cases, they are able to earn college
credit free of charge.

Of the 113 graduates in Greenville Tech Charter High's 2008-09 senior
class, 45 percent had 24 or more earned college credits. Seniors also
earned more than $7 million in scholarship monies. In 2007-08, the
school's graduation rate was 100 percent.

The Greenville Tech Charter High program was boosted by a $700,000 U.S.
Department of Education grant in 2003 and a private foundation funded
grant of $250,000 in 2004.  Middle/Early College schools are among the
innovative public school choice programs being offered across South
Carolina.

For additional information about middle/early colleges in South
Carolina, contact Julie Anna Hartwell by phone (803-734-8368) or e-mail
her at jhartwel@ed.sc.gov.



Pete Pillow
Public Information Associate
Office of Communications
South Carolina Department of Education
1429 Senate Street
Columbia, SC  29201
803-734-8374  |  phone
803-734-3389  |  fax
pkpillow@ed.sc.gov
http://www.ed.sc.gov