Georgia College Early College students welcomed each visitor with a handshake and a smile as they stepped off the bus.

“The Georgia College Early College stop offers an inside look at unique program that is literally changing lives,” said Dr. Steve Dolinger, president of the Georgia Partnership. “This partnership between Georgia College & State University, the Putnam and Baldwin county school systems, the Oconee Regional Education Service, and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, is changing the academic expectations of many students and families.”

The Early College visit was one of six stops the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education made during its three-day annual tour to showcase achieving public schools and share best practices with 85 educators, business, government and community leaders from across the state.

Georgia College Provost Sandra Jordan told the visitors about the pride that comes with the Early College students’ achievements.

“You can just feel the energy and excitement when you walk into the classrooms,” Jordan said. “Georgia College Early College is transforming lives and empowering students to achieve.”

Early College initiated on the Georgia College campus in 2005 with 55 seventh graders selected from Baldwin and Putnam county schools through a lottery. Georgia College Early College is one of 12 early colleges in Georgia.

Each year the enrollment grows with the addition of 55 new seventh graders considered at-risk and underachieving students.

The students have an opportunity to complete up to two years of transferrable college credits at no cost as they complete their high school education.

Principal Camille Tyson describes the college as a non-tradition, innovative learning community.

“The other thing here traditional are the students,” Tyson said. “We are all learners here, and we are all teachers here. And as educators we need to admit the most innovative educational opportunities often some from the students.”

Founded in 1990 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Economic Developers Association, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education consists of business, education, community and government leaders who share a vision of education excellence.

Schools selected for the annual bus tour that began in 1993 have a proven track record of academic excellence, educational innovation and sustained performance.
Early College was selected from among 60 school nominations.

The bus tour also made stops at schools in Gainesville, LaGrange, Madison and Atlanta.

”The one thing I hope our visitors take away with them is that there are no disposable children. Every child is gifted,” Tyson said. “We can’t change the stories of these children’s lives before they came to us, but we surely can change their future stories and the stories of their children.”