Four Students To Celebrate ‘Double Graduation’
Commencement 2016 will be an historic occasion for both Bermuda College and four students who will be graduating with a high school diploma and associate degrees – all in the same academic year.
Taiyana Allen, Kyrsten Burrows, Dejanee Hill-Edwards, and Sophia Hamilton will form part of the Class of 2016 at their respective high schools [The Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy], in June, as well as Bermuda College on May 19, culminating the success of the Dual Enrolment initiative at Bermuda College.
Originally the brainchild of the late Dr. Clifford Maxwell, a former principal at The Berkeley Institute and until his retirement, a mathematics tutor in the College’s Academic Resource Centre, the programme later developed under the careful nurturing of Necheeka Trott, Dean of Arts & Science.
Ms Trott served as advisor to the four teen-aged trailblazers, and said the initiative provides another pathway for outstanding students to engage in college-level courses other than the IB or AP.
“It provides senior school students with course options not available to them otherwise, while at the same time, shortening the time to obtain a college degree,” she explained. “It saves parents and students money. It also provides students with college credit that is transferable to colleges and universities abroad.”
Taiyana Allen has been accepted into Georgia State University; Kyrsten Burrows, into the University of Ontario Institute of Technology; Dejanee Hill-Edwards, to St. John’s University [NY]; and Sophia Hamilton to the University of Perth, Australia.
Dr. Lisa Osborne is Director of the Academic Resource Centre at the College and serves as liaison between the College and two senior public schools. She is also responsible for facilitating their matriculation into College-level courses, and is presently guiding another 34 students who are in the programme.
She believes the partnership is a good one and is cautiously optimistic that Dual Enrolment can be further explored for expansion into other areas. “With a few tweaks, I feel the time is right to explore the potential it can offer to other students, and in other disciplines,” she said.
The experience has been a unique-positive for faculty members as well, according to Dean Trott.
“The Dual Enrolment students adjusted well to their new environment of having to be more independent, and in taking the lead in assuming responsibility for their education. They brought another perspective to student dialogue and discussion in their classes,” Dr. Osbourne said.
“And they did well in managing the onerous task of balancing their courses at Bermuda College while maintaining a presence at their respective senior schools.Faculty members enjoyed having these students in their classrooms because they spurred the overall climate of excellence.”
For those parents with students in the public senior schools in either the S2 or S3 level, or considering the Dual Enrolment option, the advice from both educators was clear.
“This may be the right pathway for your young person. However, high grades do not make students college ready. Study habits and maturity are important factors to consider.
“Parents and students have to be realistic in the expectations of a student in the Dual Enrolment programme. The academic aspect is only one part; social and emotional maturity also count.”
This is awesome on so many levels! Congratulations to you young ladies, you are truly trail blazers and congrats to BDA College and the high schools who facilitted this. Best of luck on your new journey in University. God bless
and congratulations to the young man!
Excellent.
This is why People wondered
why a private school was assessed and BERKELEY and CEDARBRIDGE was not included.
Well done, students.
Bermudians salute ALL OF YOU!!!!!
Have some backbone???? What are you talking about?
TO LETMYPEOPLEGO:
Unfortunately, my message to these fantastic students, fell into two parts….so part of the comment is in one part and the other one in another.
Congratulations! I wish dual enrollment was offered at all schools in Bermuda. It is a bit unfair that students in private schools do not have the same opportunity. Why is that the case?
The private schools are not pushing the avenue of Bermuda College as it affects their bottom line of making money.
This program is in competition with the private schools and that is why they are not pushing it to their students.
Or because they are not all equal….
Highly doubt a strong IB, A Level or AP carry the same weight as an associates degree from the Bermuda College.
Not trying to knock it, just would really like to see the comparison, before we claim its for monetary or nefarious reasons.