Virginia Foxx: “Today I rise to recognize a pioneering school in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Established in 2009, Wilkes Early College…”

“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.…”