Newest
high school
opens doors

By FULLER ROYAL

Columbus County took its first step into an alternative and experimental form of high school education Tuesday morning when Southeastern Early College opened its doors on the campus of Southeastern Community College.

Four buses, one from each of the high schools in the county and city systems, wheeled onto the SCC campus in time for the 8:30 a.m. start of school.

School began with few problems as the students, wearing their official SEC polo-style shirts, made their way around the campus.

The night before, SEC Principal Laura Davis addressed the Whiteville City Schools Board of Education and offered a last-minute update on the school’s progress and opening day preparation.

“We have had a short period of time to get things together,” she told the board. “But, the children are so excited. I never thought I would see so much enthusiasm.”

She said that of the 53 students enrolled, 11 had been eighth-graders from Central Middle School and one had finished eighth grade at North Whiteville Academy.

Davis said the majority of the students enrolled were not college bound. Many are from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

She said that many of the parents are grateful that their children have a chance at earning both their high school and college degrees at no cost.

Davis pointed out that of the 53 students, three had at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree or higher and that 12 had parents who had not finished high school. The other parents are somewhere in between.

Whiteville City Schools board member Carlton Prince serves as chairman of the SEC Advisory Committee.

“The (student-parent) orientation was so beautifully handled,” Prince said. “It was one of the most exciting, energizing, renewing, thrilling experiences I’ve had in education in a long time.”

Prince said he was impressed with how well Davis and her staff selected the students from 78 applicants, finding a cross-section of students with just the right balance.

“Every ethnic, cultural and social group is represented,” Prince said. “You did a super job bringing a microcosm of Columbus County into Southeastern Early College.”

Prince said that Davis had been extremely sensitive to recruiting and had created the feeling of a close-knit group of students.

Prince said he likes the fact that the students are not spread across the college campus, but centered in a section that puts them in the center of things.

Davis mentioned the modified polo-styled shirts with SEC embroidered on them. The style, color and logo allow SCC staff and faculty to know who and where the SEC students are.

For the first 30 minutes of each day, students spend time in home base. These are small group settings with each student belonging to a “house.”

Davis said Greek letters would be assigned to each house allowing each group to have its own identity.

Students will have small and large group learning opportunities.

Instead of a PTA, Davis said SEC will use Parents as Partners, a program designed to make parents more involved with their child’s education.

“We want to partner with parents and help them raise these kids and make them more successful,” she said.

That group will meet at the end of August.

Davis needs a mentor at the school for each student. She has 12 and needs 41 more. Mentors will meet with their students about one hour each week.