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Purpose Drives Final Year

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 09:01 CDT

By Paul Westmoore

NIAGARA FALLS -- Niagara Falls High School senior Maria C. Burns could have spent this school year enjoying a case of senioritis.

With most of her required high school course work behind her, Burns could have cruised through a year marked by spotty attendance, a light class load and a busy social schedule.

Instead, she has chosen to start college early, thus getting a head start on most of her classmates.

Burns is one of 35 students from Niagara Falls, Niagara- Wheatfield, Starpoint and Barker high schools taking the College Acceleration Program, or CAP, at Niagara County Community College. One home-schooled senior also is in the program, which aims to motivate students to excel and get them used to their future college life -- academically and socially.

"You can't really prepare for college in high school because it's nothing like high school at all," Burns said. "It's totally different. They don't care if you go to class. You have to do everything for yourself. There's nobody pushing you to make sure you get things done.

"I decided to do this because I felt I'd learn more going there than doing nothing this year in high school. I'd be only taking things like seminars in the afternoon, which would be much easier and be a lot less challenging than what I'm doing at NCCC. The tough classes at high school are gone, at least for me. [CAP] gives you a head start on college because now you'll know what you are doing and know what it's like before you're even admitted to a college program."

Niagara Falls High School Principal James Spanbauer said the program was established four years ago to keep seniors interested in school and give them a chance to get used to college.

Spanbauer said many seniors seem to lose interest after they complete the Regents requirements in their junior year and can fall into senioritis, where they don't have a lot to do. They manage to blow off the year unchallenged, even skip school a lot more than they ordinarily would.

"This gives them an incentive to take on a challenge, keep on learning and prepare for college with a hands-on college experience," Spanbauer said.

"It's not something that's just offered to honor roll students," he said. "Any average student in good standing who has completed the Regents requirements is eligible for CAP."

>Getting ahead

Maria J. Justiana, a Niagara Falls student and program participant, said she attends high school in the morning and spends her afternoons at NCCC taking three college courses. Some students are taking four.

She said he expects to earn 14 college credits by the end of May. Other students will have earned as many as 18.

Justin M. Krzyskoski, another Falls student, said, "I take Introduction to Sociology, Writing 101 and Physical Fitness at NCCC this semester. I'll get seven college credits for them as long as I pass. They will go on my college transcript when I do go to college. I hope to have 14 credits after two semesters."

Krzyskoski said some seniors also are taking Career Planning for an extra two credits this semester, for a total of 9.

Lydia Ulatowski, the program coordinator at NCCC, said 14 Falls students are participating. Starpoint has 13 students in CAP; Niagara-Wheatfield, seven; and Barker, one.

Next semester, Ulatowski said, most students in the program will take English 102, which combines writing with an introduction to literature. Introduction to Psychology, Power Volleyball and Speech Communications.

Those not already involved in the program, but interested in participating during the second college semester, should talk with their high school principal or guidance counselor.

With just over a month of college under their belts, the Niagara Falls students appear to be happy with the program. They've learned that college is nothing like they envisioned and that the program will save them money.

"Even though high school is supposed to get you ready for college, it really doesn't," Justiana said. "There's nothing better than being there to know what you're going to face next year."

There's also a financial advantage of attending CAP.

"NCCC gives us a reduced price for college hours in this program," Krzyskoski said. I think it would cost me $129 a credit hour if I was a regular student taking a college course. But they are giving it to us for $48 an hour under this program. That's a good deal you can't pass up. I paid $336 up front for seven hours this semester, and I'll do it again in January."

>Reduced costs

Krzyskoski said he will pay $672 for 14 college credits this year, instead of the $1,806 he would have paid as a regular college student.

"We get our books for free, too," said Falls senior Lauren S. MacKrel. "The Niagara Falls School District pays for them."

Spanbauer added that the school district also provides bus transportation to and from NCCC. "Some kids prefer to drive but others take the bus," he said.

And while CAP offers a good experience and saves students money, it also makes a student's senior year more challenging.

"The work load is a lot harder than you're used to," said Falls senior Jeff L. Broeker. "They don't spoonfeed you everything. They expect you to be in class and take notes -- as little or as much as you want. It's up to you. . .

"No one is going to hold your hand. It really prepares you to face the reality of college."

Justiana said studying also takes priority.

"You need to spend about two hours studying at home for every hour you spend in class," she said.

Falls senior Kayleigh S. Canada said that slacking off also comes with a steeper price.

"If you don't make it to class one day in high school, the next day they have all the stuff you missed ready for you. But at college, they'll tell you they don't have your papers and you have to make an appointment with the professor to get them at his office. . . . There's a lot of responsibility. Whether you sink or swim in college, that's your problem."

>Making better students

Canada said she likes the program because it's makes her more independent and, because she's paying for it, she works harder. "I don't want to waste money, and I don't want to waste a year of my life," she said.

Another advantage, Krzyskoski said, is that Writing 101 is being used for college credit, as well as a replacement for the high school senior English requirement. "You get both done by taking the one college course," he said.

Burns said the program also gives a student an edge in being accepted to colleges that have competitive admissions. She hopes to attend New York University or Fordham University next year to study political science.

"It's good to be able to say when you apply to colleges that when I was a high school senior I was going to a college," she said. "I wasn't just messing around the whole year doing nothing. I was learning new things and getting things done. I think it has to look especially good when you are trying to be admitted to a college that's very competitive to get into. It puts you a step above the thousands of kids who may be competing against you."

Many of the 14 Falls seniors are just average students.

"I'm not an honor roll student," Justiana said. "I got interested in CAP because my brother, Mike, [now at Fredonia State College] did it three years ago and recommended it. That's why I'm doing it. He loved it. He said he thought it was a good experience. Everybody I've talked to so far has loved it."

Spanbauer said NCCC has done a good job getting these students in sync with their college futures. He said the program also complements the school's Advanced Placement Program, which provides students college-level courses in high school that count as college credit for those who post high grades. The school offers AP courses in subjects such as biology, English, Spanish and U.S. history.

Said Spanbauer: "Some of our kids enter college as sophomores with over 30 college credits on their transcript" -- the 14 to 18 through CAP and up to 10 to 14 Advanced Placement credits.

He said he likes the program because it challenges students and gives them the incentive to push themselves harder because they can't get along on minimum effort at NCCC.

"They become more mature, even when they are back" at the high school," he said "They've become college students, with college IDs. They utilize the facilities and services out there like tutoring, the library, the learning labs. . . . It's made them become much more organized, self-driven and motivated to do the work.

"It keeps these students moving forward and bridges the gap for them between high school and college."

e-mail: pwestmoore@buffnews.com

Source: Buffalo News

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