AMESBURY — This summer, 15-year-old Bryer Rogers hopes to take an American Sign Language course at Northern Essex Community College.
Sitting right next to him will be a familiar face — his mother, Raylene.
It's a scene you wouldn't see at high school, but due to a new Early College Program at Amesbury High School, more high school kids are mixing with the adults, even their parents, at NECC.
In a few years, Bryer, a sophomore, will graduate high school with a transcript of more than 40 college credits from the same school where his mother is enrolled in her second year of studies.
Bryer is one of 31 Amesbury High School sophomores participating in the school's new Early College Program in partnership with NECC, which allows high school students to take college courses within the school day.
"The Early College Program is meant to really help students be prepared for college when they get there after graduating high school and to accelerate the pace at which they can gain college credits," said Lane Glenn, vice president of Academic Affairs at NECC.
The three-credit, 90-minute courses, taught by an NECC professor and AHS teacher, are spread out within a student's schedule throughout the course of the year, Glenn said.
"At a minimum, if a student attends the Early College Program for three years, they will accomplish 27 college credits," Glenn said. "If you add the summer courses, they can graduate with 45."
This semester, Bryer and the program's other participants are enrolled in American History, American Literature and College Success, which focuses on how to study, how to be a self-directed student, and how read and write at the college level.
"The hope is that the success they have in the Early College Program will translate academically not only within Amesbury High School, but also when they graduate," Superintendent David Jack said. "It gives students a better sense of their ability to be successful at the college level."
In Bryer's case, the program is already paying off. A few years ago, he said school wasn't a priority of his. Once he enrolled in the program, for which he was chosen, everything just sort of clicked.
"Keeping up with this, it's changed my whole outlook," Bryer said.
For the first time since fifth grade, Bryer received honors on his report card. And though he hadn't previously taken any honors classes, Bryer is now enrolled in honors algebra with Gail Lisauskis, and plans to take honors biology later this year.
"It's amazing," his mother said. "I feel that it's really done wonders. It has lifted his self-esteem and gave him a belief that he can do anything with hard work and determination."
When he was younger, Bryer's mind was set was on joining the Marines, but these days he hopes to attend NECC for an associate degree and then transfer to a four-year college to pursue a doctorate in anesthesiology.
Glenn said the program, which costs $600, is aimed at students just like Bryer — ones who may not have thought college was a route for them.
"When you set expectations a little higher and give those students the support they need to succeed, very often, it's the average student who benefits most from this," Glenn said.
Despite high-schoolers having full workloads of class work, MCAS and SAT preparations, college applications, jobs, after-school activities or sports, Glenn said the Early College Program, which is taught by a high school and NECC teacher, as well as advisers, provides plenty of support for students.
"We're trying to give them the confidence that they can do college-level work," Jack said. "Students learn time management, prioritizing and the ability to be successful when they're fully engaged."
In Bryer's case, he balances his normal class work, Early College coursework, playing basketball, working on the Student Council, doing occasional landscaping, and volunteering with local organizations like the Lions Club and youth basketball. And he still finds time to help mom with grammar and formatting for her college papers.
"It's a big workload, but I'm ready for it," Bryer said. "I wish every kid could have this opportunity at this age — it's a great confidence booster, and 40 college credits is a lot."
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