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Upper Perkiomen students describe hands-on learning after early-college partnership with Kutztown University
Summary
Four Upper Perkiomen High School students told the school board they earned 12 free college credits and classroom experience through a Kutztown University Early College Academy partnership, and three of the cohort have accepted offers to continue at Kutztown or East Stroudsburg University.
Angela Trab, the college and career coordinator at Upper Perkiomen High School, introduced four students who took part this year in Kutztown University's Early College Academy (ECA), saying the cohort earned 12 college credits through a Pennsylvania dual-enrollment innovation grant and completed regular clinical placements in local classrooms.
"My name is Angela Trab. I'm the college and career coordinator at Upper Perkiomen High School," she told the board and noted the credits were provided at no cost to students through the state-supported dual-enrollment program. Trab said courses met twice weekly at Kutztown and students also completed supervised clinical experiences with district mentor teachers.
The students described how the program shaped their plans. "This entire program has been a joy to go through," said Kylie McCann, who described attending college classes alongside other Kutztown students and taking introductory education courses, special-education units and seminars that covered multilingual learners and cognitive development. "Being in the classroom was amazing," she said.
Malia Hixon told the board the experience helped her choose a career path. "This experience has shaped my future and who I am becoming," she said, adding she intends to continue with Kutztown. The presentation also noted two students planned to attend East Stroudsburg University next year.
Trab credited several district teachers who served as clinical supervisors and mentors and emphasized the program's benefits: earlier exposure to college-level coursework, practical classroom skills and the ability for students to confirm career choices before committing to a four-year program.
Board members praised the students for their public speaking and the district for the partnership. The presentation concluded with a note that the cohort was recognized at Kutztown University and that a plaque with the students' names is on display in the administration office.
The administration said four juniors have already been accepted to the ECA for next year; the board did not take a formal vote on the program during the workshop.
