Ever since it began in 2009, Sampson Early College High School has helped hundreds of students from all over Sampson County graduate with either an associate’s degree or two years of transferable college credits.
“We serve all of Sampson County, including the county schools and the city schools. And we are in a partnership with Sampson Community College,” SECHS Principal Monty Strickland said during a recent interview.
The school started as a five-year program where students could earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, but now a majority of students are finishing both in four years.
“It started out pretty much as a five-year program, but lately, many of our students, around 70 percent of them, are finishing both in four years,” Strickland explained.
He said there are still a few students who stay for their fifth year.
Strickland said there is an open enrollment for all soon-to-be ninth graders to apply for the program. He mentioned that the school advertises the enrollment on its website, and that staff will go out to the five middle schools in Sampson County to do a presentation for the eighth graders before giving them the opportunity to apply.
“We also have a student-parent information night in the fall where parents and students can come out (to the school) and ask questions,” Strickland said.
The application process, according to the principal, can be difficult as they narrow down the multitude of applicants to only 60.
“There’s rigorous process of applications and acceptance. And each year we get well over 100 applicants. And we accept around 60 applicants per year,” he said.
But once those 60 students have been accepted, they are able to start working towards a college degree or college credits with no extra cost to their family.
Sampson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jamie King said this was important because not only does it allow the schools to expose students to college-level material and classes while in high school, but it also allows those same students to graduate with college credits they don’t have to pay for — which is important in a rural area like Sampson County where people might not always be able to afford college classes.
“It allows us to have high school students that are graduating with college credits that they’re not having to pay for,” King said. “And so that really helps us, especially in a rural environment like Sampson County where not everybody has access and affordability of college classes.”
The superintendent for Clinton City Schools, Dr. Wesley Johnson, shared the same sentiments of how the program was beneficial for the students who are able to do it.
“Many of the students are first generation college students driven exclusively by their academic goals and pursuits,” he said. “Most of the students will be able to earn their associate’s degree or numerous career credentials before graduation. This can help students get into their careers earlier with the needed credentials or transfer to colleges or universities with the numerous credits which will save them money by shortening the number of years towards their diploma.”
Of the average 60 students who graduate from SECHS, between 80-90 percent of them will get a two-year degree. If they do not get a two-year degree by graduation, they will, instead, have transferable credits to use.
“We have a very high amount of our students get a tw0-year degree, somewhere around 90 percent…80 to 90 percent typically get a two-year degree. And those that are not getting a two-year degree, they have those transferable credits that are still available for transfer,” Strickland pointed out.
Emily Ko, the director of Academic Services and also the SECHS liaison for Sampson Community College, said students are usually completing a transfer-oriented degree program or a career-oriented degree program.
“Students are often completing programs ranging from business to cosmetology to welding,” Ko stated.
Strickland mentioned that what the students do after graduation, whether it’s continuing their education or straight into the work force, varies year to year.
“We have quite a few of our students go on to four-year universities. Some choose to stay here. Some actually go out into the workforce. Some of our students choose some trade programs out here. We have quite a few students go through the welding program, cosmetology and the business programs out here. But it varies from year to year depending on the individual need of the student,” he explained.
More than the benefits for the students and the community, King said he believes that SECHS could help show areas that could be expanded when it comes to college and career classes. And that it was early colleges like SECHS that helped College and Career Promise classes start for students in regular high schools.
“I think that (CCP classes) came about in our state because so many people were interested in early colleges and what early colleges have to offer that CCP was able to come in and offer some of these community college classes to any student in high school rather than you just having to be in early college,” Dr. King said.
The 2024-25 school year for Sampson Early college will start Aug. 8 with a freshman class of 61 students.
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