WEST COLUMBIA, SC -- Thirty-two Lexington Two high school students in the district’s Early College and dual enrollment programs have earned diplomas or certificates and are invited to participate in Midlands Technical College’s graduation ceremony.
All of the Lexington Two students, from Airport and Brookland-Cayce High Schools, earned the college credits -- at no cost -- during their regular high school days. They will receive Associate in Art diplomas or General College Studies Certificates and are invited to participate in the in-person Midlands Tech graduation set for Saturday, May 1.
Six Lexington Two students, all seniors, will receive Associate in Art diplomas. These students have earned a minimum 62 college credits and have taken 20-plus college courses. They are Ahtyrie Marlette Anderson, Jasmine Marie Beaver, Caroline Heather Reddick, Jordan Grace Sightler, Kaelyn Sharai-Lynn Singleton and Quimoni Chakira Thomas, all of Airport High School.
Twenty-six students, among them 18 juniors and eight seniors, will receive their General College Studies Certificates. These students have earned at least 18 college credits and successfully completed six or more specific courses identified as transferable to all South Carolina 4-year colleges. They are Adiah Emma Anderson, Benjamin Holladay Bledose, Jasmine Sheniyah Booth, Jasmine Tania Boston, Ja'mese Martina-Antionette Corbitt, William A. Corley, Elisabeth Gonzalez-linares, Saleem A. Grich, Aidan Vol Henry, Arthur Kaminski, Tiffany Lin, Amonei Maxwell, Tristen Marie Owens, Yosselin Paniagua, Arianna Gabrielle Pee, Shamia Desiree Pelzer, Naizja S. Redding, Emily Gail Sulser, McKenzie Thomas, Terri Lawren Zummach, all of Airport High School; and Lucy Elizabeth Grieswell, Brycen Outlaw Johnson, Shalaia Dajia Myers, Alexander Ramirez, Uryk Ramirez, Paigelyn Rose Waters, all of Brookland-Cayce High School.
There are 78 Lexington Two high school students currently enrolled in various stages of the Early College and dual enrollment programs. Lexington Two was the area’s first school district to partner with Midlands Tech to offer the Early College program.
“Lexington Two’s Early College and dual enrollment programs give our high school students a big advantage,” said Lexington Two Superintendent Dr. Nicolas Wade. “Not only do these students get a head-start on college -- sometimes entering with enough credits to begin as a second-semester freshman or even a sophomore -- but they end up saving hundreds or even thousands on college tuition. To be able to do it all during the high school day -- at no cost -- makes it all the better.”
Early College differs from the AP program, in that students enrolled in AP courses must take the AP exam and receive the test score required by the college they wish to attend for the credit to be awarded. In the Early College certificate and degree programs, college credit is earned without an AP exam.
The Midlands Tech graduation event is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1 at Segra Park Stadium in Columbia. The event also will be live-streamed on the MTC Facebook page for those unable to attend.