Students at Central Lake High School sit around the table discussing matters in their college-level speech class. Photo by Jeffray Kessler

CENTRAL LAKE - As the new semester commenced at Central Lake High School, ten students found themselves in Ms. Jan Papp's speech class Monday afternoon discussing the differences, advantages and disadvantages of denotative and connotative oratory.

These high school students are taking a real college course for real college credit. They are but a few of the 75 students who are taking advantage of a supportive effort to prepare Central Lake scholars for continuing education by taking college-level courses.

According to Counselor Gerry McAvoy, "This is the third year of the program. We have expanded it each year with a target of at least 10 students per class, and have never had to drop a class due to attendance."

Subjects include speech, psychology, pre-calculus and two levels of Spanish. Each class is worth between three and four credit hours (depending on transfer to a term or a quarterbased college).

The program to offer college credit began several years ago when, then Superintendent Gus Bishop forged relationships with North Central Michigan College in Petoskey and Northwest Michigan College in Traverse City. The original objective was to acclimate students to college-level courses. Students took classes on the respective college campuses. Interest in these classes waned primarily due to the distances involved.

Along came a new opportunity, this time from Baker College. Working with Central Lake administration, they had a better idea: offering classes right at the high school.

According to Superintendent Mike Linton, it was Baker's flexibility that was key. "Baker come to us aggressively but was at the same time accommodating," he said "They asked what our students needed, and then responded with a program to fit the needs. This program really gives our kids a leg up."

McAvoy agreed, but said the program's value is more than just advanced curriculum.

"It is difficult for some students because there are decisions and options to consider," McAvoy said. "They might have to choose between band and a college course. That puts them in a tough spot, but it is also a facet of the college world that they will have to eventually face. It becomes part of the preparation."

In Papp's classroom, the advantages of the program are not lost on the students. Senior Ryan Aenis is on his third class (9-12 credit hours), and explains his reasons for participating in the program.

"First reason is that these are college credits, but I can use them" Aenis said. "I plan on being an engineer. I will need speech when I am part of a design team that has to make presentations. I also took psych and pre-calculus. It is good preparation for college. For example, the psychology class had much more reading than I was used to."

Junior Whitney Moon added, "These classes help in many ways. I chose speech because I think sometimes I have trouble getting my point across. This is college credit, and the level of the classes is higher. The longer chapters to read make them more difficult."

Junior Christy McPherson related the speech class directly to her career ambition. "I want to be a pediatric nurse," she said. "I'm taking this course so I can communicate better with people and not be nervous in front of others, because I am nervous now."

Instructor Papp, a retired administrator from Bellaire Schools, is an employee of Baker College. She professed no coddling of the students just because they were in high school.

"It is the goal of this class to help students become comfortable speaking in front of a group. They will know the components and techniques of a good speech," she said.

Currently, the program includes 9th to 12th grade students, and there are no tuition charges or costs to the participants. Funding is done through a foundation grant.

Both Counselor McAvoy and Superintendent Linton expressed a desire to continue expansion of the program and the overall support for students who wish to move forward with a plan of higher education.

For now, 75 students this year at Central Lake have figured the financial advantage of taking as many as 12 college credits while still in high school. With college tuition rising dramatically, the savings become substantial. You can do the calculus, but it is a virtual certainty that this equation will yield students ready to step onto campus for the first time with both a monetary and scholastic head start.

Jeff Kessler can be reached at perkins90@hotmail.com