From Beaufort County Schools

Washington High School hosted a visit from the North Carolina New Schools organization as well as the Golden LEAF Foundation on Oct. 14. Community members and leaders from Beaufort County Schools joined the event to help showcase the work of the North Carolina Investing in Rural Innovative School Grant or IRIS.

North Carolina New Schools, the group who helped launch the Early College High School model in North Carolina, is addressing the challenges of students in rural areas by presenting a new look at college readiness. This includes everything for how courses are offered, taught and how the student learns.

“More and more students are having the opportunity to attend college than ever before,” explained Dr. Don Phipps, superintendent of Beaufort County Schools. That is one of the goals of this initiative. IRIS aims to improve the four-year cohort graduation rate, facilitate successful completion of college preparatory courses and increase college credits earned. For IRIS and Beaufort County Schools the focus is on all students, not solely the college bound.

Mark Sorrels, senior vice president with the Golden LEAF Foundation — a funding partner of NC IRIS, looked at impacts past the classroom.

“There is a sense of urgency in both Eastern and Western North Carolina to make sure the building blocks for economic growth are there,” he explained. “You can talk incentives all day long (for companies) but do you have the talent they need?”

College-level classes now available to BCS students and partnerships between the schools district, Beaufort County Community College and NC IRIS are striving to ensure the talent is in place and ready to work for Beaufort County.

The event included presentations by officials from the school and district level. This was followed by a tour of Washington High School to see firsthand the projects made possible by the IRIS Grant.

The morning was capped off by a panel discussion with four WHS students now in college-level classes made possible with this initiative. Future aspirations of these students ranged from nail technician to medical school. Although future paths are greatly different, the immediate benefit rang similar for all.

The rigor and expectations of a college environment are pushing Jarquez Keyes, a Pam Pack junior, to go outside his comfort zone, and it is paying off.

“Thinking differently at a higher level helps me in the high school courses I am currently taking as well. It is building my confidence,” Keyes said.

Olivia Slade, a senior, explained how availability to upper level courses has changed her high school career.

“You see you can do well and it makes you strive more,” Slade said.

For more information on North Carolina New Schools visit www.ncnewschools.org.