(Marietta, Ga. – May 17, 2017)
An 18-year-old Move On When Ready student will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Environmental Technology before finishing high school.
Mariah Young, a senior at Kennesaw Mountain High School, will join hundreds of Chattahoochee Technical College students at spring commencement on May 18 — an accomplishment that will allow her to pursue even higher education at the College of Coastal Georgia, where she has been accepted for the fall term as an honor’s student.
“I will complete my four-year degree in about two years or less,” Young said. “This makes my dream of obtaining a doctorate of pharmacy more plausible and shortens that time that I spend in college post high school.”
For qualified high school students like Young, Georgia’s Move On When Ready (MOWR) dual enrollment program provides teens with the opportunity to maximize their education and career training by taking courses that earn college and high school credit simultaneously. Under MOWR, students may take academic core courses or occupational and career courses that can help jump start a career.
Chattahoochee Technical College had 1,115 students enrolled in the MOWR program during the Spring 2017 Semester. Cobb, Cherokee and Paulding counties produce the most MOWR students, with Pickens and Bartow counties following closely behind.
After hearing a presentation from Chattahoochee Technical College’s recruitment team, Young said she registered for the program in order to leap ahead. Convenient campus locations and flexible class schedules, including an online option, made it easy for the astute student to complete both her general education courses as well as degree courses.
“I am now prepared to transition to a four-year college,” Young said. “I am now familiar with the overall college process, from applying, financial aid, books, registering for classes to mapping out a degree completion path. I have been able to speak to my ability to succeed in a four-year university by highlighting what I have been able to do here at CTC. With that, it made it easier to apply to a four-year university.”
While attending Chattahoochee Tech, Young studied Environmental Technology at the college’s North Metro Campus. The program provides hands-on application of environmental practices and affords students the opportunity to perform field sampling, lab analysis, data analysis and reporting.
“The degree program is so interesting with the projects, trips and volunteer opportunities. It really expands your horizon on the environment, our water systems, etc.,” Young said. “I would advise prospective students to map out their courses so that they can successfully finish the program and to not be afraid to seek help or advice when needed.”
The program’s highly-qualified instructors are committed to student success and develop advisement plans to assist students in meeting their academic and professional goals.
“Mr. [Stephen] Anderson is the head of the Environmental Technology program and has taught all my degree-related courses,” Young said. “He has been amazing. I found comfort in taking courses from him. He has advised me throughout the process and really made the transition and journey as smooth as it can possibly be. I will always have great memories of this experience and will miss taking the classes with Mr. Anderson. He is a great teacher.”
Although Young is on track to become a graduate student before most her age earn their bachelor’s degree, pursuing higher education as a teenager did not come without hurdles.
“Outside of just juggling college and high school requirements, my biggest hurdle was that I have a medical condition and had to have several medical procedures over the course of two years. That was difficult to keep going even though a lot of times I was in extreme pain,” Young said. “I would advise someone considering MOWR to really evaluate their current high school obligations. I could commit to the number of classes and time because I was not on a sporting team or something like that. I was still able to participate in high school stuff but not like my peers.”
Young called her experience at Chattahoochee Tech a “memory saver.”
“I say that because I was not enjoying the high school experience,” she said. “I needed and wanted more of a challenge and diversity. I was able to find that independence with Chattahoochee Tech. I have been able to make positive memories of my high school experience. This is a place where I fit in.”