Collegiate Academy at Sfoto High lets students take Hillsborough Community College courses on campus

Mrs. Watson, collegiate lead at Sfoto High School, said the Collegiate Academy partners with Hillsborough Community College to deliver dual-enrollment courses on the Sfoto campus so students can earn simultaneous high school and college credit without traveling to HCC or taking classes online.

"My name is Mrs. Watson. I am the collegiate lead here at Sfoto High School, where everyone is a part of our Spartan family. That's 1 reason why you should be a part of our Collegiate Academy," Mrs. Watson said during a short presentation.

The program allows students to take Hillsborough Community College classes in a Sfoto classroom. "...it works with Hillsborough Community College to allow students here on campus to have teachers, teach those dual enrollment courses without them having to take them online or on HCC's campus," Mrs. Watson said. She emphasized convenience for students who can "just walk into a Sfoto classroom and be able to take those higher level classes."

Students who spoke during the presentation described academic supports and degree outcomes. "I felt like the program offered a lot of great things and would really prepare me, going into the future being that I would leave high school not only with my high school diploma, but also a diploma from HCC with my associate's degree," said Student 1, a Sfoto High School student. Another student said the program "expedites the process of getting credits for college and high school because...we could get college credits and high school credits at the same time."

Students described sustained instructor support and tutoring. "I've had some amazing, amazing instructors and staff that had been with me since my freshman year...they offer plenty of help, they offer tutoring," Student 2 said. Student 3 added that teachers "sometimes will give up their lunches to...help us study for tests." A student who identified as first-generation to college said an advisor, "Miss Watson, kinda guide[d] me through the process of applying to college and actually doing college courses within high school." (All student quotes are from unnamed Sfoto students identified in the meeting transcript.)

The presentation did not specify program enrollment numbers, the formal contractual terms of the partnership with Hillsborough Community College, student cost or fees, or exact course counts beyond students' remarks. The presenters described the program as a means to give students a head start on college and said support services are available on campus.

The Collegiate Academy presentation focused on program structure, student supports and reported outcomes; no formal actions, votes or additional documents were referenced in the transcript excerpt.