Partnership Initiative Owensboro Early College Academy

Owensboro High School and Owensboro Community amp; Technical College are partnering to create the Owensboro Early College Academy to provide a unique program for Owensboro High School students through which they can graduate with a college associate degree and a high school diploma simultaneously.

Owensboro Early College Academy Associate Degree programs that will be offered are: Agricultural Technology, Biotechnology, Broadcast Television, Business Administration, Computer Aided Drafting and Design, Computerized Manufacturing and Machining, Computer Information Technology, Construction Technology, Criminal Justice, Interdisciplinary Early Childhood, Electrical Technology, Engineering Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, and Medical Information Technology. Associate of Arts/Associate of Science degrees will be added in 2015.

This is a giant step toward providing career-specific studies for our students and a tremendous opportunity for those who enter the Academy. The number and diversity of associate degree programs that will be available to our students fits perfectly with many of the needs of employers and as entry programs into four-year-college programs, said Dr. Nick Brake, OPS Superintendent.

Students will be admitted to the program through a competitive process that takes into consideration academic performance, attendance, extra-curricular and community involvement, honors, behavior, and economic factors. The Academy targets juniors and seniors. Ideally, students will enroll in the Academy as juniors.

"We are excited about any opportunity to get students who are ready for post-secondary work a chance to get an early start. We plan to expand this into our Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs so that students may move from high school directly into the workplace with an associate degree or go on to their favored university half-way towards their bachelor's degree."

Dr. James Klauber, OCTC President, and Dr. Brake have worked out the details of the Academy program so that Early College Academy classes will be taught by OCTC faculty at one of the Colleges campuses. Concurrent Enrollment credit and regular high school classes will be taught at OHS by OHS faculty. Depending on an individuals schedule, he or she may attend classes on both campuses. There will be little or no cost to students and OPS bus transportation will be available.

While attending the Owensboro Early College Academy, students will be considered Owensboro High School students and will be eligible to participate in OHS extra-curricular activities that do not interfere with attendance in college classes. Academy students will graduate from Owensboro High School and will be issued college credits by OCTC.

For more information or to apply for the Academy, OHS students should contact OPS College and Career Counselor Beth Benjamin at Owensboro High School. Questions for OCTC regarding the Academy should be directed to Dr. Stacy Edds-Ellis at stacy.edds@kctcs.edu.