Running Start Gives Head Start

Tara Peterson will wear caps and gowns to two different graduations this month, but decided to send out only one set of invitations.

Peterson, an East Valley High School senior who is enrolled in the Running Start program at Spokane Community College, will graduate from both schools in the span of a week and wanted to save a little money. That on top of the thousands Peterson already figures to save on college tuition.

Graduating from high school and SCC with an associate of arts degree allows her to enroll at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont., next fall as a junior transfer student - and cut her college tuition in half.

That means only two years at $17,000 each instead of four, something Peterson, who plans to study business, made sure to point out to her parents.

“I told my dad, ‘Two graduations, it better be a big gift,”’ Peterson joked.

Working on her community college degree while earning a high school diploma did not come without sacrifices for the 18 year old. Peterson, who also held a part-time job in the family business and as an occasional math tutor, saw her grade point average dip a few points and social time diminish.

But the return validated the investment, said Peterson, who will finish high school with a 3.6 gpa and community college with a 3.2.

“I just wanted to get ahead,” she said. “Everyone right now is going, ‘Oh no, four more years of school left.’ I’m glad I only have two.”

Mary Ellen Myrene of the Community Colleges of Spokane said Peterson is one of 12 Valley students who will receive both a diploma and two-year college degree.

The Valley graduates are among 585 area students from 41 schools that split time this year between high school and community college. Of them, 54 will earn degrees this spring.

“You don’t have to be a genius to be in the program,” Peterson said. “You just have to be responsible enough to go to class and work with your counselor.”

Prior to her junior year, Peterson craved a more challenging course load and sought out a high school guidance counselor to learn more about the Running Start program. After meeting with the counselor and attending an informational meeting, Peterson decided she liked what she heard.

Peterson’s maturity and organizational skills made her a good match for Running Start, said Ken Stacy, East Valley’s program coordinator.

Together they mapped out two course schedules, and made sure the community college credits Peterson earned would transfer to a four-year college.

Peterson, who decided she would not attend any school that didn’t accept her transfer credits, discovered the best way to make sure her community college courses were recognized was to earn her associate of arts degree. She reasoned that college admissions counselors would be forced to consider her courses as a whole instead of individually.

That settled, it was time for class.

A few community college finals still await Peterson this week, but she is still thinking ahead. This time graduation ceremonies and celebration plans are on her mind.

“One’s on the ninth and one’s on the 16th, so the party’s somewhere in between,” she said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo