Columbia Early College High School Celebrates Class Of 2024

The Class of 2024 at Columbia Early College High School celebrated their high school graduation in Columbia, N.C. The dual enrollment program allows students to start taking college courses while in high school. Forty-two students were presented with high school diplomas, four of whom also received associate degrees through Beaufort County Community College.

The four Beaufort CCC graduates had participated in a larger ceremony with other graduates from the college on May 10. They are headed off to universities, the military, and the workforce. Just as important as the associate degrees earned are all the college credits that the graduating class earned. Students who did not complete a degree still have the option to finish at Beaufort CCC or transfer credits to a university, saving them time and money.

Graduates were recognized for different achievements at the ceremony. Aiden Bryant, John Etheridge III, Brayaa Franco Gonzalez, and Reagan Phelps all received degrees through Beaufort CCC. Skylar Roughton earned the Beatrice Calderon Citizenship Award. Takayah Basnight earned the President’s Award for Educational Achievement. Aiden Bryant earned the President’s Award for Educational Excellence.

Aiden Bryant graduated summa cum laude, holding a GPA of 4.0, from Beaufort CCC. John Etheridge III was the salutatorian, and Aiden Bryant was the valedictorian. Nola Ransom and Alex Simmons addressed the graduates as commencement speakers.

Every high school in Beaufort CCC’s four-county service area has students who participate in dual-enrollment programs. At Columbia ECHS, students can choose to stay a fifth year to complete college courses, though all students in the Class of 2024 graduate together. This means that students who prefer a traditional high school education can graduate in four years without taking any college classes, though most of the Class of 2024 graduated with some college credit.

Beaufort CCC also partners with Washington County Early College High School, Hyde Academy, and Beaufort County Early College High School, and qualified students from all area high schools can take free college classes through Career and College Promise.

Beaufort CCC wishes all the best to its early college students.