This year’s graduating class of The College Center at Lexington County School District One were still dealing with effects of the COVID-19 pandemic their freshman year. However, the first graduating class of Lexington One’s The College Center persevered and 25 students graduated with their high school diploma plus an associate’s degree from Midlands Technical College.

According to The College Center’s website, the center is an early college program partnering with Midlands Technical College offering students an opportunity to get an associate degree while in high school and at no cost.

The College Center students must apply and the website states that students who attend the program are those who would benefit from a non-traditional approach to high school and college while receiving academic and mentoring support.

“The College Center is an early college high school program that primarily serves first-generation students, the first in their immediate family to pursue higher education,” Brandon Baskett, director of The College Center said. He added that it’s also for anyone who desires a non-traditional approach. The center serves all five high schools in Lexington One’s district.

25 students graduated May 1 from Midlands Technical College with their associates and then later graduated May 22 or May 23 at their home high school.

A couple of College Center graduates talk with the Lexington Chronicle regarding their experience and offer tips to future students who may explore this unique opportunity in Lexington One.

Jessica Keeble

Jessica is the first to point out that going through The College Center changed her life’s direction.

She states that during her eighth-grade year she saw herself “going in the wrong direction. I didn’t think I’d graduate [high school].”

Despite applying for The College Center four days past the application deadline she was accepted and is grateful for the support from College Center teachers and advisors as well as the staff at Midlands Technical College.

Keeble is a Pelion High School graduate and also holds an Associate of Arts from Midlands Technical College. Currently she’s working on her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate from Midlands Technical College this summer.

For the time being she plans on staying close to home and her family but her long-term goal is to be a travel nurse. She’ll finish her CNA studies and then get a small break and she’ll resume her studies at Midlands Technical College in the fall because she really enjoyed the support she received there.

Keeble is the first in her family to go to college and earn a degree. Not only is she grateful for the center’s support but she credits her mom for working a 40 plus hour workweek while her father struggles with health issues of his own. She also has a younger sister she helps look after when mom is working.

Her journey thus far hasn’t been easy but if there’s one thing she wants to encourage future students contemplating The College Center or any student, it’s to do one’s best and never be afraid to ask for help.

“Make sure you ask for help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I had so many nights when I stayed up studying and stressed,” Keeble said. “When I started [College Center], I didn’t have any confidence. This was put in my path for a reason.”

She continues by saying, “As long as you know in your heart that you’re doing the best you can and being the best you can be, be okay with that… You can feel so lost and defeated but just know that you’re doing your best.”

Since her home school is at Pelion High and the college center initially started at Gilbert High before moving into the North Lake Community Learning Center there was a transportation need. Keeble says that the district provided transportation to the college center as well as Midlands Technical College.

In addition to providing the transportation and getting a jump on college with no debt to accumulate, the support provided was invaluable to Keeble.

“They see that you have the ability to mold into a functioning adult,” Keeble said. “The biggest thing I noticed is the growth. You have more to lose and I know I was representing something good and didn’t want it come back and reflect badly on myself and my peers.”

Her mom, Wendy Keeble, says the teachers at the college center were some of the best.

She relays a story of how Jessica was looking for a graduation dress. She found a dress for the center’s ceremony and one of her teachers complemented her on it. The next thing she knows is she’s at the Midlands Technical College graduation and she has her dress on and three of her teachers have the same dress.

“They did it on purpose for Jessi. So sweet of them. That’s the kind of people running program,” Wendy said. “They make them feel special and good and push them.”

Carlos Martinez

Martinez’s story looks different from Keeble’s but if there’s something he’s learned it’s how to juggle college amidst other life duties. Martinez also earned his Associate of Arts from Midlands Technical College while simultaneously attending his home school at Gilbert High School.

Martinez is also a first generation college student although his older did attend and graduate from college.

When he applied for the program as an eighth grader, the pandemic was still very much a reality so he interviewed via Zoom and said why he wanted to be a part of the program.

“I saw the opportunity available,” Martinez said, so he ran with it.

“I would say it was up and down at first during my freshman and sophomore year having to adapt to a new schedule. It was little rough especially coming out of COVID.” However, by his junior year he had it down and by his senior year he was ready to graduate.

In addition to earning college credit in high school, he also played tennis at Gilbert High and helped out at his parent’s restaurant in West Columbia.

“Overall, the college center prepared me for what college is like and going to be like down the road,” Martinez said.

He points to a particular teacher in the program who provided valuable mentorship.

“The college center is a great opportunity for me overall and others that participated in it. It gave us an opportunity to graduate college while getting a high school diploma and get a feel for what college is going to be like,” he said.

“One teacher, Ms. Shaw, helped us prepare for college. She’s been with us since freshman year. She helped us with opportunities and build our resume and get internships,” Martinez added.

After summer break, Martinez plans to attend the University of South Carolina and major in tourism management.

“I want to travel and work by the beach or in a busy city,” he said.

While new adventures await him at USC, he says the friendships formed in high school and through the program was a “strong bond to last a lifetime.”