84 percent of grads to attend college
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 2, 2004 1:57 PM
Eighty-four percent of the recent graduates from the Wayne County public schools are planning to continue their education in colleges this fall, say county school officials.
More than 1,000 seniors graduated this year from Wayne County public schools.
About 430 of those plan to attend four-year colleges or universities. An estimated 425 are preparing to enroll in community or technical colleges.
Six percent of the graduates plan to enroll in the military, and another 7 percent have either found jobs or will seek employment.
Many of the students will have all or a part of their college expenses paid for by academic and athletic scholarships.
Almost $2.2 million in grants and scholarships will go to students from the six public high schools across the county. When calculating two-year and four-year renewable scholarships, the total exceeds $8.4 million, say school officials.
"We are extremely proud of the 282 students who received financial assistance through scholarships, grants and work-study programs," said Dr. Sandra McCullen, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "The high school guidance counselors and other professional staff worked diligently to inform students and parents of the financial aid available."
She congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments and commended local clubs and organizations that sponsored scholarships for the students.
A breakdown of the renewable scholarship totals per high school are Charles B. Aycock, $1.9 million; Eastern Wayne High, $1.9 million; Southern Wayne, $1.8 million; Goldsboro High, $1.3 million; Rosewood High, $1.2 million; and Spring Creek High, $332,118.
School officials say about 98 percent of the county's seniors completed the N.C. Course of Study Pathway. Under new mandates, this year's graduating class had to complete the study requirements to be eligible to graduate.
The process is similar to declaring a major in college. Career Prep, College Tech Prep, College-University Prep and Occupational are the four N.C. Course of Study plans.
Career Prep and College Tech Prep career pathways include agricultural and natural resources, business, construction, engineering, health, public service, transport systems, commercial and artistic production, biological and chemical and industrial technologies.