Teens like college headstart plus credit
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
Shawna Kam exits the halls of McKinley High School each Tuesday and Thursday around noon, leaving her classmates behind in favor of an older crowd.
As one of 19 high school students participating in a pilot program this semester, Kam, a McKinley senior, attends a college history class two days a week. She earns college credit as well as high school credit for her work.
The program marks the first time in Hawai'i that the Department of Education and University of Hawai'i have agreed on a joint-credit venture.
The new Running Start program gives students like Kam a chance to start college early and get a taste of the college experience. It also funnels some of the brightest Hawai'i high school students into local colleges.
As the semester draws to a close, those involved, from students to faculty, agree it has been a success.
Running Start is a partnership between Honolulu Community College and the six Honolulu District public high schools — Kaiser, Kalani, Kaimuki, McKinley, Farrington and Roosevelt — that will continue this summer and next fall before it branches out to include more schools and college campuses.
"Most states do offer some form of this," said David Cleeveland, a sociology professor at Honolulu Community College and a coordinator of Running Start. "It's bringing students to the community college that would have never normally come here. Usually they start with a course or two before they are surrounded with the college experience. They are dipping their toe in the water."
While UH has traditionally allowed some high school students to attend its classes part time, the enrollment has been limited. Students were not allowed to receive combined college and high school credit, and they had to take the classes on their own time. Although junior and senior high school students blend in easily on a college campus, only 35 to 40 high schoolers have been enrolled in the 45,000-student UH system at one time, Cleeveland said.
Washington state, by comparison, has 16,000 students involved in Running Start.
Cleeveland hopes to expand Running Start to other public schools and eventually bring in private school students and students who are home-schooled.
Students are admitted to Running Start with a school counselor's recommendation, an application to the community college and an appropriate score on English and math entrance tests. Students who cannot afford the cost of the classes are given scholarships.
Justin Lee, a senior at McKinley, said he likely will continue attending HCC next fall after participating in the Running Start program this semester.
"I thought I would try it out and see what college is like," Lee said. "It's a good program. People should try it. I think it would be really good for juniors because they can start earlier. They can take more credit."
Cynthia Smith, a history professor who has Lee and Kam in her class, said she has noticed few differences in the performance of Running Start students and her more traditional college students. "Their skills are fine. Their understanding is fine," she said.
It's knowing what is needed," Smith said. "I think it gives them a chance to get comfortable with college life."
Running Start students haven't taken long to recognize the differences between high school and college. They cite longer essays, harder tests, the increased importance of class lectures, no tardy slips for arriving late and the ability to miss classes without incurring the wrath of the school administration.
"I think it's much better than high school," Kam said. "I come here every day. It's my money that I'm putting up. And my parents would kill me if I didn't come."
Kam said she enjoys the increased responsibility of college.
