MONROVIA – Michael Mendoza, a junior at Monrovia High School, has made it his priority to be the first in his family to attend college and is securing his path to college by enrolling in Monrovia Unified School District’s Early College program.

The partnership between the District and Citrus Community College offers students a path to college through courses that meet high school graduation requirements and provide college credits simultaneously.

“I will be the first in my family to attend college, and I will be paying for college myself,” Mendoza said. “The Early College program will help me get ahead academically and financially.”

The courses, which are offered at Monrovia High, also follow the school’s academic calendar.

“At Monrovia High School, we are dedicated to providing our students with every possible opportunity to prepare for college and beyond,” Principal Kirk McGinnis said. “We are continually looking for new ways to motivate and inspire our students. The Early College program is one way of doing that.”

The dual enrollment program helps students ensure they are reaching their academic goals while in high school and in their transition to college. The program also provides students with a taste of the college experience and exposes them to new fields of study.

“Monrovia Unified is committed to offering a curriculum that prepares every student for their future,” Board President Ed Gililland said. “Dual-enrollment provides our college bound students the perfect opportunity to experience the rigors of college classes, get a head start on earning college credits, and dramatically reduce the cost of a college education.”

Classes available through the partnership include basic Photography, History of Rock and Roll, Physical Oceanography, Art History, and Strategies for College Success. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2WdM7Qs.

“Our MHS students have shown success in the Early College program,” Superintendent Katherine Thorossian said. “Through our partnership with Citrus Community College, we are giving our students the resources they need to take the first step in their post-secondary education.”