Last week, 58 Hampton high school seniors graduated — with associate degrees.
Most of them attend the division’s Virginia Peninsula Community College Academy of the College Experience — or ACE — at Phoebus High School.
Hampton’s four high schools have academies, such as law and public safety, performing arts and entrepreneurship, to expose students to college and career opportunities. The academies also include ACE, in which students can complete one of two associate’s degrees — free of charge and without needing to leave their high school campuses.
The academy has grown since it started in 2017. The first group to graduate included 26 students. In 2022 and 2023, 34 and 41 students, respectively, graduated with degrees. Of this year’s 58 students, 57 attend the academy.
Isaac Horne earned his associate of social science and will graduate from high school next month. The draw to ACE was simple: “I wanted my degree.”
The program allows students to graduate two years ahead of schedule and shaves off two years of tuition. Horne said his parents are thrilled that he will complete a college degree without a “full, four-year financial burden.” The program also helped him during the college and scholarship application process.
“It allows us to demonstrate that we’re already familiar with doing the college-level work.”
Horne earned multiple scholarships to Morehouse College in Atlanta where he will pursue a bachelor’s in business followed by a master’s.
Hampton City Council recognized the graduates earlier this month. City officials noted that a few families moved to Hampton for the program.
Other local divisions have dual enrollment arrangements and more will soon have tuition-free classes. A spokesperson for Tidewater Community College said starting this fall that students in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach can take dual enrollment courses at their high schools at no cost.
At Hampton, ACE students are taught by teachers certified in dual enrollment instruction through VPCC. Teachers must have a master’s degree or 18 hours of credits in their teaching area.
Elizabeth LaBreck, who used to teach at VPCC, now teaches English courses in the Hampton program. LaBreck said the classes are structured like a college course — students receive a syllabus and the rigor is the same.
“We were definitely held to a higher standard when it came to our dual enrollment classes,” Horne said.
Students in the academy are also considered VPCC students. They can get college IDs and use campus resources such as the library or counseling services. Dual enrollment teachers get VPCC IDs, email addresses and can participate in the faculty senate. School officials said Phoebus High is considered a VPCC satellite campus, because of the number of students enrolled.
But students are still receiving high school support, which can be a boost for first-generation college students.
Chief Academic Officer James Harris said students are accepted into the program coming out of the eighth grade. That gives them time to complete prerequisites in the ninth grade at the Freshman Academy. Harris said this eliminates one barrier to making dual enrollment accessible to everyone. Students enrolled in other academies can take dual enrollment courses, too. Many do and accumulate college credits that transfer once they graduate. In addition to the associate in social science, the ACE plan offers an associate of science.
Students in Hampton’s dual enrollment programs have earned more than 32,000 credits, saving their families millions of dollars in tuition costs, officials said.
Next year, 100 students will enter ACE and the division is working to expand the program. So far, Hampton has accommodated applicants without resorting to a lottery. The division will also offer financial reimbursement to teachers completing certification requirements. Teachers will be eligible for up to $500 for each class. More information will be available to teachers in the summer.
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
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