Although schedules for next year have already been turned in it isn’t to late for a change! And what a change this might be for some students . . .
Recently, the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) started a dual-enrollment program specifically for high school students. The High School Academies which started in fall 2015 consist of five programs giving students the opportunity to get a taste of college and professional training while still in high school and also obtain college credits for cheaper than attending a larger university or college.
High school juniors and seniors are able to enroll in any of the five academies.
Fortunately, Beaver Area covers 30% of the tuition leaving families to pay the remaining balance including books and class materials. For junior and senior year the full tuition is $5,772 before Beaver Area’s contribution.
Students are able to attend their chosen academy in the morning during regular school hours or leave school early and go to CCBC later in the school day.
Currently, eight Beaver Area students take advantage of this opportunity. And next year, 14 plan to attend.
The Academies include: Aviation, Health, STEM, Criminal Justice, and an up and coming academy, Mascaro Construction.
CCBC is rated one of the best aviation programs in the country. In the aviation program students learn the ins and outs of airplanes and flying. Students have opportunities to go in a flight simulator and also visit control towers at local airports. Students will get a taste of what it is actually like to fly an airplane and have the opportunity to be flying airplanes by the time they’re 21.
“All the teachers are pilots or used to be pilots, and it’s helpful to hear all of their advice and stories because they already did what the students are trying to do. The classes teach you the knowledge of flying and weather, and you can take that to actually flying at the airport right beside the school,” said senior aviation student Zach Little.
The Health Academy is for any students interested in the health field. This program directly puts students on track for CCBC’s nursing program, but the classes correlate with all prospective medical students. The classes students take include anatomy and physiology, English composition, college success, and general psychology. If students attend this academy for junior and senior years they will almost have a full year of college credits under their belts while in high school.
“The Health Academy is a great experience and it’s challenging so it gives you a good idea of what college and nursing school is like,” said senior Health Academy student Maria Miocic.
The STEM Academy is great for students interested in engineering and technology looking to get a head start. The STEM Academy involves problem solving and working with robots. The classes are mainly hands-on and could also be good courses for students going into a process technology major.
Next is the Criminal Justice Academy. This academy is for any students considering a criminal justice field such as criminal investigating or policing. Students learn the history of policing, how to conduct criminal investigations, how to conduct interviews and interrogations, and study juvenile justice issues.
Lastly, an up-and-coming academy is Mascaro Construction. Mascaro is a well known construction company that is partnering with CCBC to provide opportunities for exploring anything and everything to do with construction. Students interested in engineering, architecture, or construction would be perfect candidates for the academy. Construction is a big deal in our area with the Shell plant and new airport project and is a great opportunity to make a respectable living.
“I think [the Academies are] a good program. I am most familiar with the Aviation and Health Academies and I think they are both great. Health gives you a good head start for college and helps you realize whether the health field is for you or not. Same with aviation. We’ve had a few kids who think they want to do aviation [as a career] and then they decide against it because it is so much work. Students can save money and figure out what they want to do,” said guidance counselor Mrs. Patti Gradisek.
If you think one of these programs might be right for you, talk to you guidance counselor.