St. James students get boost

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 9, 2000

DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / December 9, 2000

ST. JAMES – Twenty-one St. James High School seniors already have one footout the door.

Participating in enrollment programs with Nicholls State University, River Parishes Community College and Louisiana Technical College, the students are splitting their educational time between high school and college.

Ron Faucheux Jr. has been attending Louisiana Technical College in Reservefor half of his day, five times a week. Wanting to get an early start on hissecondary education, Faucheux asked his school counselor how to approach it and off he went. Faucheux is now studying automotive technology and isenjoying his hands-on education. “I’ll be done half a year after my high schoolgraduation,” said Faucheux.

Christie Duet, Elizabeth Bergeron, Janie Reulet, Eileen Becnel, Aurora Walker, Mia Trench and Barrion Dumas all attend Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. Walker wanted to get off to college so she could get her degree innursing early.

The transition was fairly easy from high school to the college classroom, said Trench, who is pursuing a chemical engineering degree. The relaxedatmosphere of the classroom and more responsibility given to the students made the class enjoyable.

Stepping onto the college campus early will make the transition to full time attendance easier. “We get a chance to see how much we have to do” beforeit’s all required full time, said Walker.

River Parishes Community College has newly entered into a contract with the St. James School System to come to the schools to teach the high schoolstudents. Classes are being taught by RPCC teachers at both Lutcher Highand St. James High schools. Eryn Shaw, Tameka Barnes, Shane Kliebert,Krystle Pierre, Marquita Dumas, Ester Dapremont, Christopher Hymel, Jessica Harry, Zaquita Narcisse, Jerrolyn Gors, Samantha Mitchell, Crystal Simon and Brian Keller attend the college classes. The students are takingcollege level English courses at St. James High, and English and math atLutcher High.

Josephine Oubre, St. James High School principal, is proud of the advancingstudents.

“This helps our students begin focusing on the future while their still in high school,” said Oubre. With global competition in the work place students areexpected to know more, think and solve problems in the work place and these St. James students are preparing themselves for that.Oubre has noticed that seeing St. James High students in college classes hasspurred a noticeable trend of younger students studying harder for their chance to enter the classes. All programs require minimum ACT score orgrade point average.

It’s really good for high school students to get a head start on college, said Courtney Harp, associate director at Nicholls State University.

This gives the students a chance to also test the waters so they’re “not thrown right in. There’s no culture shock when they arrive full time,” sheadded.

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