LIBERAL, Kan. — The group of students could be from any high school in the state — each girl dressed in her own style, quiet or chatty, glad to take a break from their morning classes and pull on new T-shirts from Seward County Community College. But these 22 seniors from Ulysses High School are far from ordinary. They are breaking barriers.
“They will be graduating with their Associates degree before they graduate high school,” said Lori Barnes, the Ulysses High School outreach coordinator. “Eleven of these students maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA, and all of them earned 60 college credit hours or more.”
Parents and friends gathered to applaud the students at a brief ceremony at the high school April 23, celebrating an early start for successful careers. The students’ goals range from accounting to business administration and even medical school. SCCC President Brad Bennett, joined by SCCC trustees Brett Reiss of Plains and Kelly Hill of Liberal, presented the students with honor cords to wear as regalia in both the college commencement ceremony and their own high school graduation. SCCC Vice President of Career & Technical Education, Dr. Amber Jones, and SCCC Outreach Director Laura Rosales also attended.
“We know that beyond high school, it’s important for them to continue their education,” said high school principal Justin Coffey. “When they start college classes in high school, it’s more than a head start, it moves them into seeing college as a real option. Our largest partner in that is SCCC and their Saints Ahead Scholarship, which has tremendously benefited our students.”
Bennett turned the spotlight on the soon-to-be graduates, noting, “You’ve done something extremely difficult, which is to finish high school and the first two years of college at the same time. You have saved yourselves, your parents, your grandparents a lot of money, a lot of debt. We’re extremely proud of you.”
Jeane Guzman, who is headed to Wichita State University to study business administration, said she’s confident she will be able to handle the workload. Classmate Yoselyn Lerma, bound for K-State to earn an accounting and finance degree, is happy to have gotten calculus out of the way before embarking on college life.
“It’s given me an advantage, definitely,” she said. “I can’t wait!”
Rosie Rivas, whose dughter Alexus will continue to Fort Hays State University next fall to study radiology, fought back tears as she contemplated the family’s journey.
“I have always put it on her to achieve at school because it’s something I was never able to do. She is our first generation to graduate.” But Rivas is looking beyond the ceremonies to a bright future for her daughter.
“At the fast pace everything is going, she can go straight into what she wants, start her career. I’m glad we’re giving her the tools so she can go out there prepared.”
Outreach Director Laura Rosales said it’s a little bittersweet to hand out the coveted green-and-white cords to the 60+ concurrent graduates in the SCCC service area. Over the past three years, she has interacted with the students, their families, and high school staff to help them navigate scheduling challenges, technology glitches and, on occasion, flagging energy.
“They’re such great kids — they work hard, and they’ve made the most of this opportunity,” she said. “I’m excited for them, but I’m going to miss them.”
With the recent SCCC board decision to continue the Saints Ahead Scholarship, however, Rosales knows she’ll get to know another group of highly motivated students in the fall. Until then, she’ll keep cheering the graduates as they move to the next stage.
For up-to-date information about SCCC, including the upcoming enrollment for summer and fall classes, visit sccc.edu.
Categories: Academic Affairs, Awards & Honors, Graduation, Outreach Schools
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