https://www.weber.edu/earlycollege/
Something that is not included in my resume is that I was enrolled in Weber State’s Early College Program in 1990 during my senior year of high school. My road to starting day one was not an easy one.
I stumbled upon the program’s information at a college fair. There was a booth located at the end of a corridor that many people passed by. I took time to talk to the WSU Early College Enrollment Advisor sitting at that booth. I was interested in the nursing program at WSU. At the time, it was extremely competitive to be accepted and the process sometimes took multiple years for many candidates to be accepted. Starting early with this process appealed to me. I filled out and turned in the application immediately.
Weeks following the WSU Fair I really didn’t think anything of the paperwork I filled out. A month later, I received a letter in the mail congratulating me for my acceptance to WSU’s Early College Program based on my merits. The next step was for me to obtain signatures of approval: my parents, my school counselor, and my principal.
When I visited with a school counselor to get his signature, he replied, “You’re not a 4.0 gpa student and your ACT score isn’t above a 32. You can’t do it.” I quickly accepted my defeat. A week later I received a second notice from WSU’s Early College Program to obtain signatures. The next day I went into my high school principal’s office with the letter in hand and explained what I’d like to do during my senior year. My principal replied, “Bountiful Braves don’t do that! Be an officer again or try out for the drill team again.” He suggested as he quickly scooted me out of his office.
At this point in time, my senior year schedule consisted of one English class and the remainder of my day was filled with electives. I had the option of changing my elective classes to work release time, which meant I would be able to perfect punching in a clock and making minimum wage. That option was not appealing to me.
The Monday after my junior year of high school ended, a third and final letter came from Weber State. My dad had the letter in hand and told me to get into the car. He drove me five blocks to Bountiful High School in our blue Chevy sedan. He parked in the drop off zone, handed me the paper and said, “Go into the office and get someone’s signature.” My dad was a hard man to say no to. I really wanted to be a part of WSU’s Early College Program, but I just couldn’t endure another round of rejection. I reluctantly got out of the car, paper in hand, and stared at the steep stairs I had to climb before opening the large main door to Bountiful High School.
I thought the main doors to the school would be locked, but they weren’t. Once I stepped inside the foyer, I stood before a large statue of the school mascot, a “Brave” Native American. I did not feel brave as I stood alone in the foyer. I took in the eerie silence of the school that comes at the conclusion of every school year, which students don’t experience. I took in a deep breath, looked to my right toward the main office and saw that the light was on. I opened another door that I thought was going to be locked, but it too, was not locked. There was one secretary present. I asked if I could talk to the principal and counselors. She replied, “The principal and counselors aren’t here today.” I turned to open the door to leave. The secretary then said, “Wait! If you want to talk to the assistant principal, he in his office.”
I took my hand off the door handle and reluctantly followed the secretary to a back office where the assistant principal sat. He immediately sprang from the desk where he was sitting when the secretary introduced me. He shook my hand and asked me how he could help. I grimaced as I explained what the letter contained in my hand. He asked me to hand him the letter. He looked carefully at the letter and said, “This sounds like a great idea!” He eagerly signed his name on the given line and handed me the letter. “It looks like my signature is the only one that is needed.” I studied the paper. He was right. I had not noticed the conjunction stating principal or counselor’s signature required. He smiled at me and asked, “Will you please let know if there is anything I can do to help you next school year?” I was completely taken back by what had just happened. I slowly walked out of the main office of Bountiful High School realizing that I only had one person from the school rooting for me.
There were three other students from Bountiful High School’s 1991 graduating class of Bountiful High School who participated in the Early College Program. I didn’t know who they were, I thought maybe they were the ones with 4.0 gpa and scored over 32 on their ACT. We carpooled a little while in the fall, but not for very long. I rarely saw them on campus once we stopped carpooling.. Other Early College participants came from Weber and Morgan school districts and a few more from Davis School District, but not many.
My senior year of high school consisted of carrying an overstuffed Jansport backpack full of thick, overpriced textbooks, riding the UTA bus, participating in study groups with adults, late night studying for exams, running around WSU campus from class to class and doing my best to not look like an early college student. Professors didn’t like having Early College students in their classes and they publicly made that very clear the first day of class. I pushed myself to make sure I rose to their high standards.
I was given the opportunity to continue to participate in high school activities, but I didn’t go to very many of them. I was too consumed with studying and earning money to pay for more classes. I was okay with pulling away from high school because I felt that I had already a great high school experience my sophomore and junior year. When it was time to graduate from high school, I ran I to the building where the ceremony took place, grabbed my cap and gown and quickly slid into the seat that my friends had saved for me. All my college classes counted toward my high school diploma, so it was a given that I would graduate with my classmates.
In 1990, Early College students were not eligible for scholarships, grants, or financial aid. My parents were teachers who didn’t plan on and couldn’t afford a daughter going to college, so I worked nights as a waitress to pay for my books, tuition, and public transportation. For my sophomore year of college, I had already earned too many credits to apply for scholarships that my fellow BHS classmates were awarded.
Waiting tables consumed too much of my energy and wad not conducive to allowing ample study time. I took a job at a local arts and crafts store. It paid less, so I was on a really tight budget. My days were filled with early morning classes, lofty expectations, lab work, and endless assignments.
I wanted to be accepted into the nursing program so I could work with pediatric cancer patients at Primary Children’s Hospital. I did not enjoy my practicum hours in other nursing facilities. I wanted to work with children and I didn’t want to go to college to earn a degree that would land me in a cubicle in an office working with adults. When I shared my desires with my early childhood professor, she suggested I try taking the introductory class to the education program. I was growing impatient with the acceptance process for the nursing program, so I gave the class a try. I ended up really liking it.
Many of my general studies coursework was able to be applied toward my application into the educational program. Once I was accepted into the Education Program at WSU, I had a handful of professors who took me under their wing. It was obvious that I was much younger than the average age of other participants in the education program, so I felt they were obligated to watch over me. I had many professors who mentored me through my final years of coursework. I took many classes at night and throughout the summers as I kept up my momentum of learning and working hard.
My rigorous routine of being a college student continued. I completed my student teaching in a fourth grade classroom at Oak Hills Elementary in Bountiful. Next, I completed my student teaching in a special education classroom at J.A. Taylor Elementary in Centerville. Before I knew it, I found myself sitting in the office of the Education Department Head at WSU getting the final signatures needed to apply for graduation.
After I completed my student teaching, I was invited to be interviewed by school districts. My interviews took place on campus. I interviewed with Ogden, Weber, Morgan, Davis, and Granite School Districts. Davis was the first to offer me a job, so I accepted and went to work for them.
In June 1993, I participated in commencement ceremonies at the Dee Events Center and College of Education ceremonies in the Brownings Center where I received my B.S. in Elementary Education with three additional endorsements from graduate level coursework. I was recognized as the only Early College Program student who began at WSU in 1990 who completed their four-year degree in the time allotted.
WSU’s Early College Program started my college career early. It also led me to graduating early and I found myself in the workforce at the age of 20. Most people in schools were not ready to collaborate with a 20 year old, but that’s another story.
Would I go back and replace my senior with college classes again? Yes! I’d do it all over again. I was ready to move on and so many positive things came because of it. When I work with teenagers, especially girls, I share my experience and encourage them to look into early college programs at the many nearby universities.
The program is probably very different today than it was in 1990. You don’t need to seek out a booth or fill out a form, it’s all online now. If you’re wrapping up your junior year in high school, then you won’t regret checking it out!