Atascadero High student graduates from Cuesta College before high school

Atascadero High School’s Tate Pflum graduated with an associate’s degree from Cuesta College on Friday, as part of the school district’s Jumpstart to College program.

The program helps students earn college credit during high school. Pflum is the first participant to graduate from it.

Julie Apple, the facilitator for the Jumpstart to College program at Atascadero High, also known as ACE Academy, explained the program’s purpose.

“The Jumpstart to College program starts students up in ninth grade, and we guide and support them through taking Cuesta classes in lieu of and in addition to their high school classes," Apple said. "And then, by the time they graduate from high school, they also have their Cuesta AA degree.”

Although the ACE Academy now has 14 students actively enrolled, Tate began the program during its early phases.

“I originally started in the Jumpstart program just taking a single class because my high school dropped their foreign language class,” Pflum said. “And then, one day, they're like, ‘Hey, do you want to try this full time?’ And I said, ‘Yeah!’”

Apple said her role is to help students like Tate develop a plan of action.

“We create a four-year plan for them and each semester we re-evaluate their plan and we might change things around based on how their interests change or what field of study that they want to go into and take,” she said.

Tate is graduating with an AA in political science, a course of study he discovered while taking courses at Cuesta.

“Originally, I was looking at the STEM classes and none really just excited me, but then I tried out political science and I really understood it, and so that's where I kind of turned my sights towards being a lawyer, and just college allowed me the opportunity to understand what I wanted to do,” Pflum said.

Tate will attend Cal Poly next fall and later plans to apply his political science knowledge in law school. He thanks his family and teachers for their support through this program.

“Just being able to go to Cuesta here has been amazing. The support through all my lows and the congratulations from all my highs just really allowed me to succeed and excel,” Pflum said.

Those interested in getting involved in the Jumpstart to College program can contact the Atascadero Unified School District and ask for an application to the ACE Academy to get started.