News

A middle ground: 'It's high school - evolved'

December 1, 2007

Between high school and college lies Midlands Middle College.

Queen McGoogan and six classmates travel more than 30 miles to attend class each day.

The trip, which takes about an hour each way, is the least of the worries of the Fairfield High School students who attend Midlands Middle College at Midlands Technical College's Airport campus in West Columbia.

They make the trip with their sights set on graduating from high school and getting college credit at the same time. Nearly 60 juniors and seniors from schools in Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties attend Midlands Middle College.

"These are students who got overlooked in the system," executive director Sue McLeese said. "They weren't in AP (advanced placement) classes, but they can do college work."

Midlands Middle College, which was started last year by the local school districts and the Midlands Education and Business Alliance, targets students at risk of dropping out of high school.

"Sometimes they don't see themselves with an opportunity to be on a college campus," McLeese said. "But here, they are introduced to college courses in the safety of middle college."

Some students say they've found a renewed purpose in school.

"I wanted a change in setting and a way to get start taking college classes," said 19-year-old Alan Morgan.

Morgan, a student from Irmo High School, felt this was one of his last options. About two years ago, Morgan dropped out of his junior year of high school. He returned last year only to fail geometry, which would classify him as a junior again for the third time.

"I did not want to do that again. I wanted to be able to do my work and also move on to college."

Morgan, who is considering a career in computer technology, should begin taking college classes this spring.

"People that go here want to be here," Morgan said. "It's more college than it is high school. It's high school - evolved."

Students are taking subjects that include probability and statistics, government and economics, chemistry and geometry. Physics and pre-calculus were added this year.

"We are treated like we are in college," McGoogan said. "If you want to get to a better place in your life and you feel like you can’t do that in high school, then there are other places.

"For me," McGoogan said, "that's here."

McGoogan made the decision to apply to Midlands Middle College after losing her parents recently.

She needed a new start and environment to make it through high school and to college to fulfill her dream of becoming a pediatric nurse.

"I feel like if I would have stayed at Fairfield I would have given up on high school," McGoogan said.

Some Fairfield County leaders also are showing their support for middle college students.

Out of seven attending from that county, transportation was an issue for all but one. So the County Council stepped in and provided the transportation.

"It seemed like a small investment to make for them to have the opportunity," council chairman David Ferguson said.

"You just don’t give up on kids. If you have kids with that caliber and you know that they can make something of themselves, there's no other choice."

The State
By SHALAMA C. JACKSON
Reach Jackson at (803) 771-8512