2025 Early College Summit

Join us for pre-summit study visits to local early college high schools in Davidson County and Guilford County, North Carolina. The visits will include a full day of learning about innovative early college strategies and practices with a school site tour and panel discussions with staff and students. The day will conclude with a guided planning activity to help individual attendees and school teams think about how to apply insights to support innovation in their own settings. Visits will begin with a light breakfast at the Benton Convention Center and will include lunch at a host school site.

There are many types of early college high schools in North Carolina, and the pre-summit study visits provide participants with options to see different models. Participants may specify a preferred school district to visit based on the following descriptions.

Option 1: Davidson County Public Schools

During this visit, participants will have the opportunity to see how two different early colleges in the same district partner with their local community college to provide high-quality learning pathways that expand postsecondary access and attainment for students across the region. The visit to Davidson County will include both of the following two schools.

• Davidson Early College High School Located on the campus of Davidson-Davie Community College, Davidson Early College High School (DECHS) began as a middle college working with juniors and seniors during the 2004-2005 school year. At DECHS students are supported in achieving their personal best through an individualized, student-centered learning environment and a caring school culture. Through their partnership with the community college, DECHS students begin taking college classes in the 9th grade and have the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and a fully transferable two-year associate’s degree.

• Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy  Funded by a Workforce Innovation grant from the NC General Assembly in 2012, Yadkin Valley Academy heralded a new early college model in North Carolina, streamlining capable first-generation college students into highly employable career pathways designed to strengthen the local workforce and improve the economic outlook for local industries and communities. As a recognized NC STEM School of Distinction, Valley Academy students engage in project-based learning and employ the engineering design process to solve real-world challenges. In partnership with Davidson-Davie Community College, Valley Academy offers a four-year program with a fifth-year option to earn an Associate Degree in Applied Science.

• STEM Early College at NC A&T  Guilford County School's second early college opened on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University in August 2012. Rich in diverse cultures, perspectives, and ideas, STEM Early College at A&T employs real-world problem-based learning to help students develop critical thinking skills. As a recognized NC STEM School of Distinction, students engage in the engineering design process to develop and test ideas and solutions to problems facing STEM professionals in today’s world, with a particular focus on global sustainability and innovation. A key part of the STEM Early College experience is participation in the AP Capstone Research program during sophomore and junior years, and all students have an internship opportunity as seniors.
  
  
• Greensboro College Middle College  Located on the beautiful campus of Greensboro College, GCMC was established as the first Middle College in the district. Serving 11th and 12th grade students in a close-knit and supportive environment, students are given the opportunity and freedom to develop their own identities and interests, all while taking on a rigorous and challenging academic curriculum. GCMS students aim to attend college after high school graduation and receive the support and guidance they need to finish their last two years of high school with college credits. The small, inviting school community provides an environment where students feel welcomed and supported by school staff members. During this visit, participants will learn about how middle colleges are part of Guilford County Schools broader early college strategy to expand postsecondary access and attainment.