High School Students Headstart in College

English teacher Gary Havener, Registrar Debbie Olivas, U.S History teacher Patricia Hastings, and Math teacher Adam Poole

By Fabiola Marzano

College of Southern Nevada established an academic program for juniors and seniors in high school to get a head start on their college degrees.

Clark County School District and CSN allow students to earn high-school and college credits at the same time. The program is called CSNHS. Since January 1996, CSNHS has grown to a population of 400 students. There are three different high-school programs located on Cheyenne, Charleston and Henderson campuses.

“It’s amazing what these kids accomplish! It’s not easy, but it does change their lives,” says Lisa Bruce, counselor for CSNHS at the Cheyenne campus. “Some students choose to pay additional credits and take summer school in order to earn their associate’s degree in May and then graduate from high school in June.”

Patricia Hastings, who teaches U.S. history and government for CSNHS, says, “We have had several of our high-school students serve as senators on CSN’s student government.”

Hastings is the student-council instructor at the Cheyenne campus for CSNHS and holds a monthly social event for high-school students to get to know each other to build a community of support.

Tori Henderson, student and CSNHS vice president at the Charleston campus, says, “It gives me an ambition to move farther in life.”

With teachers like Hastings, counselors like Bruce, and students like Henderson, the CSN High School Program gives juniors and seniors the opportunity to begin their future early and be successful in life.

Before enrolling each participant must deliver to the admission’s office: two handwritten essays; three recommendation letters from a math and English teacher, and a dean; proficiency test results if taken; and application forms.

In order to earn an associate degree before graduating from high school, a student must take a total of 48 college credits while he or she attends four semesters at CSN.