In March 2009, Danville Area Community College premiered a new program for “at risk” high school students called Middle College. Middle College is a prevention program whose goal is to take students who are at-risk of dropping out and support them on their way to high school completion.
The program has grown steadily in each of its now-14 years. Annual enrollment in the program has been between 40 to 50 students, but this year it was 56. While traditional graduation is in May, there are anywhere from 10 to 30 students who graduate mid-year. This year, DACC is celebrating 14 mid-year graduates. About a third of the graduates are planning to enroll in college classes as soon as January.
December 2022 Middle College
Graduates:
Front L-R: Pandora Jerome, Essence Coe, Ajia Johnson, Anneliese Roberts, Reyna Amay
Back L-R: Ian Dukes, Trinity Wheeler, Rhiley Flak, Antonio Decorie, Kaleb Jacobsen-McQueen
Not in the photo: Lucas Huchel, Nate Jones, Trent Stark, Ricardo Townsend
There have been 367 students who have completed the program with either a high school diploma (345), or GED/HiSet (22). This is an 80 percent success rate. Approximately 30 percent of those completers have gone on to enroll in college classes after graduating. As an extra incentive, the DACC Foundation offers $1,000 scholarships to any Middle College graduate who wishes to continue their education at DACC.
Middle College students are unique in how they acquire dual credit. The students take all of their classes at DACC, but remain a student of their home high school. Once enrolled, the students take entrance tests like any other college student, and then their classes are chosen based on the credits they need to graduate. Though every student has their own class schedule, they meet once a day as a group for a core class.
Intensive case management and intervention are accomplished with a caring team of staff members who take a holistic, wrap-around approach to keeping the students engaged and on track to graduation. Members of the team are Terry Goodwin, Dean of Adult Education; Kathy Leary, Middle College Supervisor; Autymne Huerta, Middle College Case Manager & Advisor; JR Scruggs, Middle College Instructor & Lab Monitor; and Rhonda Royce, Middle College Instructor.
As the program has grown, so too has the need for Administrative oversight, so a new Director of Middle College has been added to the team. Judy Bowie will begin in this position in early January. Wesley Brown, who retired from his role as Middle College Case Manager at the end of the Spring ’22 semester, came back to lend a hand for the fall semester while the team searched a director.
All students who wish to enter the Middle College program must be referred by their home high school and then must apply for admission. The Middle College team interviews the applicants to determine if they are a good fit for the program. To be accepted, a student’s parent or legal guardian must also commit to the program. Behavior issues are not tolerated.
The news release initially announcing the Middle College program in 2009 began with this paragraph, “Failure to complete high school has been called the "Million Dollar Mistake." It costs the individual $600,000 in lost lifetime earnings, but it costs the community $400,000 in increased social service and health care costs. We all know kids who are struggling in school, not because they aren't capable but because they have barriers to success. If their learning style, home situation, or life choices endanger their ability to complete high school, it is in the community's best interest to help overcome them.”
DACC is very proud of the
Middle College program and the work it has done to combat the “Million Dollar
Mistake” for these students and our community.
Anyone who wishes to learn
more about the opportunities available to high school students through the
Middle College program at DACC should contact the Adult Education department at
217.443.8782.
