“Before you graduate with your high school degree, you will already have walked across the stage and earned your associate degree,” Reynolds President Gary L. Rhodes said to the ACA students. Reynolds spring graduation is held before area high school graduations. “With 61 college credits, you will be able to transfer to many of Virginia's public and private colleges and universities.”
The pilot program launched this semester at Tucker High School with students taking advanced high school courses during their freshman year. They will continue advanced courses during their sophomore year before beginning college-level courses the summer prior to their junior year.
The selection process included components of the application process to Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School and Henrico County Public Schools specialty centers. There is no charge for students to enroll in the program or to earn their associate degree through the program.
“I chose the ACA program because times are tough and two years of college is giant,” said ACA student Brook Merritt. “My expectation is to become a mechanical engineer at either Virginia Tech or the University of Virginia.”
“I think it is one of the best programs in Henrico County. The program gives our kids the opportunity to go through a very rigorous but also a very rewarding program,” said Henrico Superintendent of Schools Dr. Pat Russo, who explained that the program is the first of its kind in Virginia to offer both an associate degree and a high school diploma.
