When Dougherty County School System seniors walk across the stage on May 19, some of them will have degrees and certificates from local colleges and universities already in tow.

Twenty-one DCSS seniors have earned post-secondary degrees, diplomas and certificates from Albany State University and Albany Technical College while still high school seniors. It’s the district’s largest number yet of dual-enrolled students who have completed degree programs.

“These students should be commended for their hard work and dedication,” Superintendent Kenneth Dyer said. “The educational opportunities that are now available to them and the economic benefits passed along to their families cannot be overstated. They serve as examples of what hard work and dedication can achieve.”

With the average total cost of in-state tuition, room-and-board, books, travel and incidental costs estimated to be close to $22,000 annually according to FinAid.org, students graduating with an associates degree under Georgia’s Dual-Enrollment program have saved nearly $45,000 of college-related expenses.

“Knowing that I completed (my associates degree), I feel like I’ve accomplished one of my greatest goals in life which is to graduate from college at 18 with a degree and 5 certificates,” Dougherty Comprehensive High School Student Akendai Womack said. “Next I plan to study Business Administration with a concentration in supply chain logistics management.”

The DCSS continues to encourage eligible students to consider the dual-enrollment program because of its many benefits both academic and financial. With the creation of Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy - which will allow nearly 800 high school students to pursue a career pathway once it hits full capacity next school year, and dual enrollment programs already in place at the district’s three high schools, the district is poised to produce many more high school seniors who will walk across both high school and college stages their senior years.

The district currently has more than 550 students who are dual-enrolled, taking both college and high school courses.

CHART: The following students are graduating on May 19, 2018 with either an associates degree or technical certificate: