Early College enrolls 55 new students
These 55 students were chosen from a lottery of eligible students. GCEC chose 15 from Putnam County and 40 from Baldwin County. These numbers resulted in an agreement from both superintendents of their respective counties. GCEC received fewer students from Putnam because it is a smaller county.
GCEC was started in 2005. This Early College starts with students in the seventh grade, while most start in the ninth grade. According to the GCEC Web site, GCEC is one of 12 early colleges in Georgia.
The basic criteria for the students applying include being within the 25th and 50th percentile and being first generation college students.
The principal of GCEC, Camille Daniel-Tyson, reflected upon the lottery this past week.
“People are crying (at the lottery),” Daniel-Tyson said. “It’s life changing for (the families). It’s a real great opportunity for the students.”
A GCEC teacher, Brian Mumma, feels that GCEC is more than just an educational opportunity for the students.”The overall goal (of GCEC) is to change (the students’) self-image,” Mumma said. They carry Bobcat Cards and are considered Early College students. We want to give them an environment they can succeed in.”
Economic issues are causing most public schools to increase their class sizes but not GCEC.
“GCEC provides (and sustains) a small, intimate learning community that keeps a low teacher/student ratio by capping the number that are accepted each year,” Mumma said.
GCEC keeps the number of accepted low so they can provide a better learning environment.
“It’s heartbreaking to see those who don’t get chosen,” Mumma said. “We’d love to serve more, but we can’t hold to our philosophy if we took everybody.”
Most of the GCEC students appreciate the opportunity they are given.
“I like (GCEC) a lot,” seventh grader Jamonica Wright said. “We have more freedom and a better education here.”
Some students find the transition to GCEC challenging.
“It’s getting better,” eighth grader Cory McCant said. “I was nervous at first. I didn’t know what to expect. It’s much better now. It was hard to adjust at first.”
Wright recalls the joy she and her parents had when she got accepted into GCEC.
“My parents were real happy and excited (when they found out I got in),” Wright said.
McCant has a younger cousin who applied to GCEC, and McCant hopes he will have the opportunity to attend.
“He gets trouble a lot at school, “Cory said. “I give him advice every day (to behave better). He knows I know what I’m talking about. I can’t wait until he gets his letter.”
Wright gives advice to the seventh graders who will attend Early College in the fall, but this advice can apply to GCSU students as well.
“(The students) need to be more responsible,” Wright said. “They (shouldn’t) take advantage of the education they’ll receive.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Mar 13 2009. Filed under News.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
