Bassett High School students eager to get a head start on their college careers are benefiting from a new partnership with Mt. San Antonio College that will allow them to take college-level classes and earn credits as part of their regular class schedule.
Already, more than 35 students from grades 10 through 12 are taking part in the Dual Enrollment Program, which offers four classes taught by Mt. SAC professors – Literature 3, English 1A, Sign Language 101 and Sign Language 102. Tuition is waived and textbooks are provided for free. All classes are taught at Bassett High.
“This partnership with Mt. SAC provides a wonderful opportunity for Bassett scholars to gain confidence and skills as they enjoy the college experience in a supportive environment,” Bassett High Principal Gabriel Fernandez said. “By the close of the 2018-19 school year, many of our Olympians will be the first in their families to receive college credits.”
Bassett High School senior Noah Segovia is enrolled in Literature 3, which is helping him get a jumpstart on a degree in communications. Segovia and his classmates keep weekly journals to record their thoughts on selected works by such authors as Zora Neale Hurston and Jhumpa Lahiri.
“This is a tremendous class for me, as well as my fellow students. Our teacher, Professor Montoya, helps us to understand the material and leads us in class discussions,” Segovia said. “If you have a passion for education and a goal for a career, I would recommend the dual-enrollment classes to all students who are looking to get ahead.”
Dual-enrollment classes are offered in morning and afternoon sessions, four days a week. One class period a week is spent with a Bassett High teacher for support and guidance. In July, Bassett’s first dual-enrollment class toured the Mt. SAC campus, enrolled, registered for classes and received I.D. cards.
“I am very excited to see the positive response to the Dual Enrollment Program,” Bassett Unified Superintendent Debra French said. “The District partnership with Mt. SAC is already providing dividends for our college-bound students, who are taking full advantage of this opportunity and enthusiastically stepping into the world of higher education.”
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Bassett High School students tour Mt. San Antonio College as part of the Dual Enrollment Program, a partnership that will allow them to earn college credits as part of their regular class schedule.