The dual enrollment program at LHS allows juniors and seniors to experience what it is like to take a college course through local schools in the area, such as Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg State University.
Some of the courses that are offered at LHS to students are College Writing, Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Sociology, and Criminal Justice which are provided by Mount Wachusett. Fitchburg State University also offers classes like Fundamentals of Marketing, Culturally Proficient Educator, Writing I, a business class, and a special education class.
These classes also give credit towards classes at LHS and also allow you to get credit for the class once you attend college
We at the Devil’s Advocate were interested in finding out what the students in these classes thought about them to get some insight on the pros and cons of these classes.
LHS Junior Camilla Correa is taking Intro to Psychology through Mount Wachusett during her 6th period.
Camilla said, “Even though they are considered college classes, I think they are super fun and engaging, I like the class that I have, and I like that we meet only two days a week since it helps me balance between the other classes I am taking.”
She encouraged students to join these classes.
LHS Junior Mariam Dieng also takes Intro to Psychology through Mount Wachusett during 6th period.
“So, it’s complicated because I love Psychology, ” said Mariam. “I want to grow up to become a psychologist, but right now it’s cool, but it is a bit complicated. I would not recommend taking the class, but so far besides that, I think what we are learning is very interesting.”
LHS Junior Madelyn Newton is also in the Intro to Psychology course 6th period through Mount Wachusett and said “I do like the whole concept of the class, but the class in general is kind of hard to follow. I love the idea of the upper college experience, but it is just kind of hard. But I do like it in the end.”
(Maria Craig)
Karen Marques Do Amaral is a Junior at LHS and she takes both the Intro to Psychology course and Criminal Justice through Mount Wachusett. Karen didn’t have a lot to say about Psychology but she said “I was lost in the subject and did not learn much of anything.” She said that she is interested in the subject, but she did not enjoy the class.
As for her Criminal Justice class, Karen said “It was so good. It was an online class. We don’t have a classroom teacher for that class. The teacher (running it) is super organized. All the materials are explained very well. We had fifteen weeks of it, and we had a final exam. I love that class and subject.”
LHS Junior Werick Melo takes the Culturally Proficient Educator course through Fitchburg State. He said “ I enjoy it very much, I like the professor, he is a very good professor.”
“We talk about culturally accepting educators and how to include different students from different races and cultures and make sure they’re learning in the classroom,” Werick added.
The academic advisor for the Early College Program is Erika Puccio. She is typically at LHS three days a week and her office is in guidance.
I asked her what is the process that students have to go through to get into this program.
“We have a formal recruitment process that is going to be starting this January where we will connect with all the current sophomores and juniors, to share more about the program and talk to them about the application process,” Puccio said. After that, she said, the students and their families will be invited to orientation meetings and information sessions. Then once students become accepted into the program, there will be a welcome session to give them all the information they need to know about before starting dual enrollment college classes.
“The early college academy program is a partnership between Leominster High School, Mount Wachusett Community College, and Fitchburg State University,” Puccio added.
Being a part of the early college program, a student can take dual enrollment either from the Mount or from Fitchburg State. It’s a good way for students to build college credits and get a sense of what being in college is like.
