More than 200 Waipahu High School seniors will start school in the fall with at least 20 of the 24 credits needed to graduate, due in part to a program that allows students to take free college courses on campus and earn credits toward both their diplomas and a college degree.
Waipahu’s Early College High School Initiative program, launched last summer, offers students college courses in everything from history and psychology to astronomy and calculus.
Through partnerships with the University of Hawaii-West Oahu and Leeward Community College, instructors and professors teach classes after school and during the summer at Waipahu High’s campus. Students earn college credits while satisfying credit requirements for their high school diplomas.
Principal Keith Hayashi says the initiative is part of an effort to prepare students for success in college and careers. It’s also aimed at encouraging students typically underrepresented in postsecondary education — those from low-income families or whose relatives haven’t earned college degrees — to pursue higher education.
More than 14 percent of the town’s population is living below the federal poverty level, according to U.S. Census data. And less than half of last year’s graduating class enrolled in college, although that’s an improvement over a 40 percent college-going rate the year before and up from 33 percent in 2010.
"We want to let them go as far as they can," said Hayashi, who’s been on the job four years overseeing some 2,200 students. "We’re changing the stereotypical image of Waipahu."
Since launching last summer with a single course offering, the Early College program has seen 133 high-schoolers complete courses, some of them taking multiple classes. Courses are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
"Our students have shown that given the support and resources, they can succeed," Hayashi said. "When they graduate high school, ideally, if they can have their associate’s (degree) by the time they graduate, that’s huge. We want to provide them with the wherewithal and the opportunity."
Hayashi enlisted the help of Mark Silliman, past chancellor and former vice chancellor for academic affairs at Leeward Community College, to help lead the effort.
"These are identical to a college class," said Silliman, Waipahu’s early college transition coordinator, the only such position within the state’s public school system. "The level of rigor, the expectations are the same."
Hayashi added, "They’re not high school students taking a college course. They’re college students on a high school campus."
Silliman said most students have been earning B’s and C’s, while some earn A’s and a few don’t pass. He said instructors aren’t handing out "sympathetic grades."
Eun Ahn, UH-West Oahu’s associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the college is proud to support the program.
"UH-West Oahu exists to give access to higher education, especially for students on the west side," Ahn said. "We want to help challenge and motivate these students and let them know that they are capable."
Silliman said the initiative isn’t without its challenges. Most participants are 15- and 16-year-olds whose "intellect is sometimes more advanced than their emotional maturity."
"It requires a lot of work in terms of academic support and counseling," he said. "We’re not targeting valedictorians. … It requires additional work on the students’ part to keep them focused and motivated and hopefully give them the kind of exposure that will help them make a decision to go on to college and be successful."
On a recent weekday morning, 20 students in an English 101 class were analyzing a movie for the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and logos. About half of the students identified themselves as non-native English speakers and said they are the first in their families to take a college course.
Michael Sagun, who graduated from Waipahu this year, took courses in astronomy and math and will study biology at UH-Hilo this fall. He hopes to eventually apply to the school’s College of Pharmacy.
"It was challenging, but you can actually lift yourself up," Sagun, 18, said of the classes. "I’m the first one to go to college in my family, so it’s a great opportunity for me."
Classmate Matthew Pabingwit took speech and sociology classes his senior year. He wants to study natural resources at UH-West Oahu.
"When you go to regular high school classes, you can’t really express yourself," said Pabingwit, 17. "In these classes you get to show your knowledge."
Waipahu has been using school funds to pay for the classes and textbooks. Each course costs about $5,000 to $7,000 to pay an instructor, based on UH-West Oahu and LCC tuition schedules, Silliman said. Books generally cost another $2,500 to $3,000 per class.
"For the students it’s free — unless they don’t pass," Hayashi said. If students receive a D or F, which he says is rare, they are required to reimburse the school for their share of the tuition.
The school has been offering two courses in the summers and four each during spring and fall semesters. But with the success of the program and demand for more courses growing, the school wants to expand the program to offer 10 courses each semester.
"We’re trying to get to a ratio to benefit those students who may not otherwise go to college, and change the chemistry, if you will, of the campus," Silliman said. "Having 10 percent of students tackling the rigor of college courses, their friends will take notice. The whole culture of the campus begins to take on a different hue."
Silliman hopes other schools will begin similar programs.
"Our students are the pioneers," he said.
