For a 10-th grader Beck Nordlum, this school year marks a new educational opportunity: taking high-school classes and getting college credits toward a bachelor’s degree simultaneously.
Originally from Kotzebue, Nordlum is participating in the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program’s Acceleration Academy component — a program that allows students to complete their high school graduation requirements through college courses.
“This is an opportunity that I know a lot of people don’t have,” Nordlum said. “It makes you save a lot of money on college. And that just made me want to do it so much more, knowing that this isn’t a common opportunity.”
The program started 13 years ago as a summer opportunity for high school students to earn college credits for free. Now, Acceleration Academy is a full-time program that can assist students in going from eighth grade to a bachelor’s degree in five years and saving them up to $75,000 in college costs, according to the Academy’s press release. Nearly 150 high school students are participating in the academy this year.
“The full-time component is making a real difference in the lives of Alaska’s students and their families, and that will make a difference for the future of Alaska,” said ANSEP Senior Director of Acceleration Academy Michael Ulroan in a prepared statement. “We are proud to deliver these unmatched opportunities to more and more students across Alaska.”
Nordlum learned about the program from his dad when they were discussing places to study.
“Everyone that I’ve talked to has been real supportive of it.” he said.
During his ninth grade, Nordlum studied in Florida, so when he got back to Alaska, the school options he had for this year were limited since he lost his residency. Applying for ACEP turned out to be a good choice for accessing high-quality education, he said.
“There’s a big difference from where I was going last year,” he said. “This is a lot more challenging.”
The average graduate of Acceleration Academy begins their freshman year of college with 50 college credits, thus eliminating two years of college courses, and some students earn more than 100 credits, the press release said.
“When you get here, you have about a week or so of orientation,” Nordlum said. “I have four classes and three of them are in person and one is online.”
So far, Nordlum studies math history writing and engineering.
“I’ve always been good at math,” he said. “So that will probably be one of my favorite classes.”
Since its launch in 2015, Acceleration Academy has expanded to four campuses across Alaska including a year-round residential campus in Anchorage. This year, the academy launched the program in Kotzebue, with nine students participating. The Bethel location, which opened last year, is underway with 25 students.
Nordlum studies classes at the residential campus in Anchorage, He attends classes on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, waiting at the Acceleration Building in between.
Throughout the school year, Academy students will participate in community-building activities, weekly group study sessions, cultural activities and weekly community meetings where they will learn about internship and scholarship opportunities.
This article was originally published by the Arctic Sounder.
