{"id":27815,"date":"2018-05-16T13:28:08","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T17:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2018\/05\/16\/haverhill-high-and-whittier-students-complete-necc-early-graduation-program\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:21:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:21:22","slug":"haverhill-high-and-whittier-students-complete-necc-early-graduation-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2018\/05\/16\/haverhill-high-and-whittier-students-complete-necc-early-graduation-program\/","title":{"rendered":"HHS and Whittier Students Participate in Early College \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School students who participated in NECC’s Early College Program pose for a group photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

When Alexandria Hogan of Haverhill heads of to Salem State University in the fall, she will take 34 Northern Essex Community College<\/a> credits with her.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old Hogan was just one of 68 area high school students, 27 from Haverhill High School and 41 from Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, to participate in the Early College<\/a> Recognition Ceremony held in NECC\u2019s Sport & Fitness Center on the Haverhill campus recently. Family members and friends attended the event.<\/p>\n

Early College is a partnership between Northern Essex and area high schools that allows high school students to enroll in college courses for a reduced cost for the dual purpose of jump-starting their college degree and save money. Students also have the option to participate in the Mass Transfer Program,<\/a> which gives them the opportunity to transfer NECC credits seamlessly, into a Massachusetts state college or university. Hogan, who has a 3.4 GPA, will transfer under Mass Transfer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a life changing opportunity,\u201d she said. \u201cI would definitely recommend (Early College) for high school students who want to get ahead on their education.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Haverhill High School students who participated in NECC’s Early College pose for a group photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

Petros Filiogiannis, also a senior at HHS, leaves the Early College program with 21 credits.\u00a0 He is headed to\u00a0 UMass Amherst to study computer science. He says Early College has prepared him for college life and helped him develop his time management skills.<\/p>\n

Dr. Noemi Custodia Lora, vice president Lawrence campus and community relations, welcomed the students and their families, informing them that their participation in the Early College Program saved time for the students and saved money for the parents. The program, she said, was introduced in 2012 and has grown more popular every year since with nearly 2500 credits earned by Haverhill High School students alone representing almost $2 million in savings at a state school and $4 million at a private college.<\/p>\n

NECC President Dr. Lane Glenn told the crowd that since Northern Essex opened its doors at the former Greenleaf School in Bradford in 1961, more than 40,000 have graduated from the two-year college.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take our mission to the community pretty seriously,\u201d he said. \u201cNow more than ever, Massachusetts needs college graduates.\u201d<\/p>\n

He acknowledged that not everyone has a clear direction. \u201cThat\u2019s OK. We are here for you.\u201d Glenn noted that representatives of Cambridge College, Northern Vermont College, and Regis College were present to discuss their bachelor completion programs with interested students and parents<\/p>\n

Haverhill High School Assistant Principal Anthony Curet told the students that the partnership between<\/p>\n

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HHS student speaker Adriano Perez congratulates his fellow Early College students.<\/p><\/div>\n

HHS and Northern Essex began seven years earlier with just nine students. Since then, that number has tripled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of Hillie Nation is proud,\u201d he said. \u201cWe applaud you\u2026you are a constant reminder to each of us as to why we chose to go down the path of education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saying he was truly honored to present the students their certificates of achievement, Whitter Vo-tech Principal Chris Laganas, quoted author Paul Gibbons, and encouraged the students to \u2026\u201dBe the author, not the reader, of your own life.\u201d<\/p>\n

HHS student speaker Adriano Perez reflected on the late nights of studying and the long lectures he and his classmates sat through. \u201cWe are now creatures of change\u2026be proud\u2026we are now surrounded by future doctors, scientists, and engineers\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The evening ended with the students being presented with Early College certificates of completion. In addition, each was given a gift bag holding a new Northern Essex Community College sweatshirt.<\/p>\n

Lawrence High School will hold its Early College recognition ceremony on Tuesday, May 22, and Amesbury High School\u2019s Early College Recognition Ceremony will be held Thursday, May 24.<\/p>\n

For additional information on the Early College Program, contact Custodia-Lora at ncustodialora@necc.mass.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Students<\/strong><\/p>\n

Angel Alicea,\u00a0Rachel Bevelaqua,\u00a0William Carpenter,\u00a0Justin Case,\u00a0Ian Chamberlain,\u00a0Ryan Garrett, Dylan Gaumont,\u00a0Taylor Gerry,\u00a0Victoria Gladstone,\u00a0\u00a0Elizabeth Jarmolowicz,\u00a0Christopher Leeper,\u00a0Bryce Marshall,\u00a0Yuris Martinez,\u00a0Julia Matos,\u00a0Matthew McCarthy,\u00a0Angela Messina,\u00a0Rachael Pellitier,\u00a0\u00a0James Sandborn,\u00a0Stacy Velazquez,\u00a0Bianca Villers,\u00a0Nate Bacon,\u00a0Sarah Bussey,\u00a0Philip Colladay,\u00a0Jacob D’Aoust,\u00a0Joseph Dakin Jr.,\u00a0Malina Dim,\u00a0Giana Disaronno,\u00a0Cassandra Donovan,\u00a0Melissa Elm,\u00a0David Foy,\u00a0Nicholas Hardy,\u00a0Tyler Hrubes,\u00a0Briana Jackson,\u00a0Cameron LaFrance,\u00a0EmilyLaBlanc,\u00a0Matthew Papageorgiou,\u00a0Troy Pender,\u00a0Jacob Pimentel,\u00a0Natasha Richard,\u00a0Sean Runge, and\u00a0Iyana White.<\/p>\n

Haverhill High School Students:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emily\u00a0 Benson,\u00a0Megan Carroll,\u00a0Emily Delaney, Spencer Dellea,\u00a0Nicholas Fabrizio,\u00a0Petros Filiogiannis,\u00a0Joseph Giampa,\u00a0Liliana Hetherman,\u00a0Alexandria Hogan,\u00a0McKenna Jennings,\u00a0Connor Judge,<\/p>\n

Andrea Lopez,\u00a0Victoria Martin, Emily Nadeau,\u00a0Adriano Perez,\u00a0Alexander Reid, Xenia Sanchez,\u00a0Kevin Shaw,\u00a0MaryRose Steed,\u00a0Gretchen Stemmler,\u00a0Hayley Sullivan,\u00a0Andrew Williams,\u00a0Isabella Yepes,\u00a0Kimberly Zuber,\u00a0Bennett Hurlin,\u00a0Anthony LoCascio,\u00a0Omairy Martinez.<\/p>\n\n\t\t