240 enroll in YSU’s College in High School

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A record 240 students from 27 Mahoning Valley school districts have enrolled in Youngstown State University’s College in High School dual-enrollment program for the spring semester.

The semester starts in January. The total is double the number enrolled in the program last year, according to Marla Carano, CHS program coordinator.

“We are thrilled to have so many students enrolled for the spring, but there are still many more students and school districts out there who are eligible and don’t know about the program,” Carano said.

To spread the word, the program has launched the “Two by One” contest. The name of the contest is derived from the fact that students in the program are essentially doing two things at once – attending high school and earning college credit, Carano said.

The contest calls for students to create an original video showcasing what two things they can do at once. Between Jan. 4 and 25, students will upload their videos to Facebook, and the public will cast votes for the best video. The grand prize is an Apple iPad. The winner will be announced March 1.

Contest rules are at www.ysu.edu/metro_credit. Students do not have to be part of the CHS program to compete.

YSU’s College in High School program, run by YSU Metro Credit, is now in its fifth year and is in place in school districts throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

The program allows students to earn college credit in classes taught in their home high schools. In the spring, students will be enrolled in college-credit classes in calculus, chemistry, physics, biology and English.

Under the program, started in 2007, high school teachers who teach advanced-level classes are certified by YSU to teach college-level courses.

High school students take the courses during the regular school day, so they do not have to rearrange schedules, find transportation or limit participation in school activities.

A four-hour CHS math or science class costs $196, hundreds of dollars less than if a student were taking the class on the YSU campus.