State offers thousands of dollars to students for jump start after graduation
The Advanced Opportunities program will give $4,125 to students in the 7th through 12th grades to help pay for college credits and certifications to give students a jump start when they graduate.
Bob Koepplin teaches an advanced German class at Skyline High School. It’s a dual enrollment class. That means it can count as a high school and college class.
It’s also an AP class. That means students can take an AP test after taking the class, and qualify for college credit too.
But those college credits earned in high school cost money. In the past, schools provided a few hundred dollars to help pay for those credits. Now each student can get over $4,000.
“AP courses, dual credit courses have a reputation of being more rigorous and there’s a cost involved, and sometimes students wanted to do them, but they just didn’t have the money,” Koepplin said.
Senior Casey Lewis is taking advantage of the program.
“Getting those credits makes it a lot cheaper, especially if I’m taking them now instead of taking them at college,” Lewis said. “Taking them now is definitely a lot cheaper.”
Emily Hill has taken a number of dual enrollment and AP classes, and will likely graduate with about 16 college credits. She likes how it prepares her for college.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for kids to take advantage of taking those college classes in high school,” Hill said. “I think it really prepares you for what college really is.”
Skyline counselor Angie Adams is thrilled about the program, and hopes more students will take advantage of it.
“It’s paid for by the state, so it’s not coming out of their pockets,” Adams said. “It’s a chance to experience a college level class. It’s a chance to experience that rigor and have the support in the high school at the same time.”
Adams emphasizes it can also be used for paying for certificates.
“It will pay for your pharmacy technician certification exam, your CNA certification exam, and that’s a tangible skill right out of high school,” Adams said. “You can go and get a great paying job with those certificates.”
Bob Koepplin feels these students are extremely fortunate to have thousands of dollars available to help them with a jump start after they graduate.
“And we can get them in these classes and convince them that they have the academic skills necessary to succeed, and award them with some college credits for doing it, and help them make that transition from high school to college and be successful later on,” Koepplin said.
There will be a workshop about this Advanced Opportunities program Wednesday, Sept. 6 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Eagle Rock Jr. High in Idaho Falls.
Here are links with more information about the Advanced Opportunities program.
