Senior M.J. Stack thought she was on track to graduate high school on time but was told in October that she needed another history credit to graduate. With only a semester left to take a yearlong course, Stack had to find a creative solution if she wanted her diploma in June.
Stack realized that she could take a history course in one semester at Durham Technical Community College (Durham Tech) through Durham Tech’s dual-enrollment program.
“I wouldn’t have taken the World Civilizations course if I didn’t need the credit to graduate,” Stack said.
What began as a measure to ensure she had the necessary credits to graduate has become one of the more memorable parts of Stack’s high-school experience. Stack is now taking her third class at Durham Tech and plans to enroll in three more this summer.
Stack is one of a handful of juniors and seniors at Chapel Hill High School who take college courses through a dual enrollment program called the College and Career Promise (CCP). CCP is offered at both Alamance Community College and Durham Tech and provides a wide range of pathways for students to take.
Stack took the college’s ACA-122 College Transfer Success course last semester, a Durham Tech graduation requirement that helps students create academic goals and strategies that will help them beyond their schooling.
This semester she is taking Theatre III: Drama Appreciation and History III: World Civilizations; the World Civilizations course fulfills her history requirement, while Stack enrolled in the theater class because she has always enjoyed stagecraft.
“Durham Tech is just a very good option to get ahead in college because you already have all these credits,” she said. “I think I’d rather do the work in high school rather than in college, when you’re really busy. I thought it was an exciting new experience to try, and I like it.”
Chapel Hill High School alumna Brooke Ruiter took classes at Durham Tech during her senior year and now attends the University of South Carolina. Ruiter took both statistics and microeconomics through dual enrollment.
“I think dual enrollment prepared me for college style classes. I would say taking these classes helped me learn some valuable skills,” Ruiter said.
Ruiter said that she took dual enrollment courses because her successful completion of the classes meant she was guaranteed college transfer credit. When students take an AP exam, they can only earn college credit if they score high enough on the AP exam. Moreover, not all universities accept AP credit, though every public college in North Carolina accepts community college credits.
Jennifer Walker, the school’s Career Development Coordinator, said the dual enrollment classes may better measure what students have learned over the course of a semester.
“I feel like that’s more of an encompassing grade; you’re getting a grade on the whole class, not getting a grade on that one-day test,” Walker said.
Many Chapel Hill High School students in the CCP program continue on a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway they start here. Career and Technical Education classes are trade-based courses that help students explore career options in high school. At Durham Tech, students can take courses like Automotive Systems Technology Electrical and Business Administration: Marketing and Computer Repair.
Students can also take CTE classes in engineering, culinary arts, technology and several other disciplines. Taking these classes through dual enrollment allows students to start certification programs in their chosen field.
Chapel Hill High School recently lost drafting teacher William McSwain, who now teaches at American College of the Building Arts. McSwain’s departure has meant that students seeking drafting instruction may choose to take the course at Durham Tech.
“Now that we don’t have drafting at Chapel Hill High School, we have students who started that pathway who really want to learn more. Now that we don’t have that course, there is an option at Durham Tech for that,” Walker said.
Culinary teacher Clarence Dillard believes that the culinary courses offered at Durham Tech help students expand on their learning from Chapel Hill High School.
“The amount of material our Culinary Arts classes at Chapel Hill High School cover are great entry points, but there is so much more that a college culinary program can offer,” Dillard said. “They explore more advanced baking techniques that take hours to complete. One thing I try to do with our Culinary program is get our students aware of these elements if they do decide to pursue culinary school.”
Other students follow the College Transfer pathway to start general education courses while still in high school. Durham Tech Liaison Arielle Beamon, who works in the Career Information Center office on Mondays, pointed out that students can even skip a semester of college by gaining dual enrollment credits.
“Students taking dual enrollment classes will gain a sense of responsibility outside of high school and be motivated to keep up with their classes on their own. They will become prepared for college,” Beamon said.
Junior Samantha Kate Romero took General Chemistry I and Calculus I at Durham Tech first semester and is now taking Calculus II and Principles of Microeconomics. She is taking dual enrollment classes with the goal of graduating high school with an associate’s degree and finishing her bachelor’s degree in just two years of college.
“Academically and skill-wise, I’m able to learn more and take a variety of classes that aren’t offered at Chapel Hill,” Romero said. “It can be stressful at times when taking a lot of college classes at the same time as high school classes. On the other hand, it’s also nice to be able to schedule my college classes myself and decide whether I want it online or if I want to take the class during the afternoon or evening.”
To start taking classes at Durham Tech, students must attend a mandatory information session. These sessions are virtual and teach students about the application process, program requirements and plans of study. Virtual sessions, which students may register for through a Google Form, run from January 25 to May 4.
Students should make sure that their desired courses fulfill their graduation requirements. Students are required to have a 2.8 GPA to take dual enrollment classes but can also test into the program using the RISE placement test given at Durham Tech. SAT and ACT scores also fill requirements, as do principal recommendations.
