Congratulations to the First Graduating Class of ECHS @ DSU

The first graduating class of ECHS @ DSU demonstrates the power of early college high school. The facts about the class of 2018 are impressive:

• On average, students earned 38 college credits per student at no additional cost to the student or their family; three students earned 65 transferable college credits
• 58% of the student class will be continuing next fall at Delaware State University (DSU)
• Combined scholarships earned by the class of 2018 is more than $1,000,000

“ECHS @ DSU is the only charter school in Delaware whose student population comes from all three counties and deeply reflects the diversity of the University,” said Tony Allen, PhD, an executive vice president and provost at DSU. “What was evident at the graduation ceremony by a standing room only audience, an incredible keynote from Congressman Blunt-Rochester, extraordinary efforts from Senator Carper in order to attend and students who were genuinely excited about their very bright futures is that school leadership led by Dr. Edney and the talented faculty and staff have worked incredibly hard to build an exceptional program with room to grow.”

KnowledgeWorks Technical Assistance Coach Tom Forbes has been partnering with ECHS @ DSU since they were still in planning mode. In addition to providing professional development building on his years partnering with KnowledgeWorks, he’s also shared guidance and advice gained from being the founding principal at two previous early colleges in Ohio.

“Part of our job at the early college high schools is to help support students so they succeed in both the high school and college environments,” said Forbes.

ECHS @ DSU has more than accomplished that goal, as Destiny King, one of the recent graduates, demonstrates with the 60 college credits she earned by graduation time.

“My parents taught me from a young age that college is very important and very expensive,” she said. “So when I was walking in the mall and saw a sign that I could earn up to 60 free college credits, I jumped at the opportunity.”

An early college breaking new ground

ECHS @ DSU is the first early college in the state of Delaware. By partnering with DSU, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), students get the opportunity to graduate high school with one to two years of college credits.

“We’re excited to be a unique institution for students,” said Evelyn Edney, the Principal at ECHS @ DSU.  Her students are getting on the fast track to college when college may not have otherwise even been a viable option.

Why early college?

In this video, Evelyn Edney, the principal at ECHS @ DSU, Dara Savage, an English teacher at the school, and Valerie Smith, the program coordinator for Schenectady Smart Scholars, share why Early College High School was a good model for their school.

See pictures from the graduation festivities for ECHS @ DSU in a slideshow from delaware online.