[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2395]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    WILKES EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a pioneering school 
in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
  Established in 2009, Wilkes Early College High School is a 
partnership between Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College. 
The school provides a small learning community of students the 
opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree. 
It is a 5-year school which enrolls approximately 60 ninth graders each 
year and is located on the campus of Wilkes Community College where 
students are enrolled in both honors-level high school classes and 
college courses.
  The mission of Wilkes Early College High School is to provide a 
personalized program of study that will empower students to be 
lifelong, community-oriented learners who possess the technical and 
leadership skills needed for personal and professional success in a 
global community.
  The $40 annual fee, which covers textbooks and enrollment, is an 
extremely affordable way to help students reach their education goals, 
especially when you consider that the average tuition and fees was 
$2,305 for a public 2-year institution in North Carolina this year and 
$6,677 for a public 4-year institution. And those costs have increased 
30 percent over the last 5 years.
  Many of the students who attend Wilkes Early College High School are 
the first in their family to attend college. As a result, Principal 
Dion Stocks and his staff are working hard to outline expectations and 
guide students through the process of applying to a 4-year institution. 
Seminar classes are provided to assist students with understanding 
college expectations, the application process, and financial aid.
  Last year, 21 students earned their associate degree in the school's 
first official graduating class, and 20 students are expected to earn 
their degree this year.
  Wilkes Early College High School provides an advanced educational 
experience that equips students for success in college, career, and 
life. America needs more of this type of innovative learning.

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