This is because the 17-year-old enrolled as an eighth-grader into the Roanoke Valley Early College, a partnership between HCC and Weldon City Schools.
He and 38 other RVEC students will be the first graduates of the school, which began in 2009, said Thomas Bracy, early college liaison.
Of those 38, 22 will receive their high school diploma and associates degree, while one will receive her high school diploma and two associate degrees, Principal Chris Butler said today. The rest will receive certificates, such as one student who is going into welding and another into cosmetology.
“The whole early college philosophy is to strive to make a difference,” Pierce said. “You have the option of being a high school graduate and college graduate at the same time.”
Pierce will receive his two-year associates degree in art, and in the fall will be enrolled in East Carolina University where he plans to pursue a bachelors in psychology with a minor in criminology, with plans to pursue his masters and then a doctorate. “I then want to enlist in the Marines and try to find a job in the CIA,” he said.
Pierce said it was his choice to enroll in RVEC. “I came from Weldon Middle School and it was like I saw the opportunity to challenge myself and go further.”
The college classes were thrown at him in the second semester of eighth grade, classes like health and public speaking, all the while having to do his regular class work. “It gets harder as you get older. I would say around tenth grade is when the work gets harder.”
To prepare for both high school and college graduation, Pierce exiled himself to the college's library from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
He believes the early college work will help his transition to ECU become easier. “I've done the basic work beforehand. The biggest challenge will be living on campus. The work I pretty much have down pat.”
The road to getting a high school diploma and associates was not easy. “There were sacrifices. You have to put in the time to do it. You can still hang out with friends. They understand you have the work to do.”
The early college, Bracy said, was a way to bridge a gap to get the first generation students bound on a path that would lead to college or other career choices out of HCC. “What makes it successful is being open to new ideas. As long as you have an open attitude and can have good time management you can be successful.”
Devontae Peebles has decided to stay an extra year, taking the fifth year option. One more class and he has his high school diploma.
Peebles enrolled the first year RVEC opened. “It was either here or GPC (Gaston Preparatory College). When I did my interview at RVEC they promised it would be a great fit for me.”
Peebles will be working on getting extra credit hours and his associates degree in computer science.
The school has had a record number of applicants this year, Butler said. “We have 100 applications for 40 slots.”
Butler, who has worked at schools much larger than the 181 student body at RVEC, said the paces the students are put through are rigorous. “They're taking 30 to 60 hours of college courses. The kids seem happy and we don't have conflicts. With 181 students, we are a big family. It's opened my eyes to maybe smaller programs are the best way to go.”
