D拉米雷兹乐于接受新的挑战. 在平衡繁忙的日程方面，帕劳·里并不陌生.

Both students started at Donnelly full time in the fall of 2023 and have excelled in their studies. They have become accustomed to college life and the higher standard of academic excellence that is expected from instructors. They have gotten involved and utilized the many resources offered. However, there is one major difference between these two students and many of their classmates.

他们都还在上高中.

When an opportunity arose near the end of the summer for Bishop Ward High School students to pilot a variation of Donnelly’s College Credit Now dual-credit program, Ramirez and Ri jumped at the chance to be challenged and try something new. Instead of taking college-level courses completely online or taught by high school teachers, the students would walk across the street to take classes in-person on Donnelly’s campus.

College Credit Now has been a program at Donnelly for decades. High school students that qualify for the program can earn college credits while completing their high school diploma –ultimately saving them time and tuition costs in their educational journeys.

每学分75美元, Donnelly’s College Credit Now is one of the most affordable dual-credit programs in Kansas City. 

So why would two seniors voluntarily sign up to take nearly all college-level courses in their last year of high school? 对拉米雷斯, he found that being challenged in school helps him stay focused on learning the course material.

“At first, I was scared, which was a new feeling,” Ramirez said. “学校从来没有吓过我. 我从来没有问过，“如果我失败了怎么办??’ I decided to go for it because it was such a good opportunity to get ahead in my college career. 我一直都知道大学是我的下一步. 为什么不直接开始呢?"

After Ri was also recommended for this pilot program by his counselor and dean at Bishop Ward, he liked the idea of taking in-person classes instead of online. “I’ve been able to get a feel of what college is like before I eventually transfer to a bigger university,李说. “我也可以带上我的学分更快地完成学业.”

Both Ramirez and Ri are taking five classes on Donnelly’s campus and two part-time classes at Bishop Ward. Not only that, but Ramirez is on the Bishop Ward Student Council and a member of the pep club. Ri is a linebacker on the football team and a member of Scholars Bowl. 最大的挑战? 平衡工作负载.

“There have been times I’ve barely had any time to finish assignments, 尤其是周五晚上,李说. “After the Friday night football games, I’ve had some assignments due on Saturday morning.”

虽然工作量很大, Ramirez credits Donnelly for providing campus resources to keep students on track with their academic goals.

“You see TV shows where the professors are horrible and mean,” Ramirez said. “但唐纳利教授是了不起的. They’re going to prioritize coursework and deadlines, but they still care about you as people. They want you to utilize Donnelly’s resources like tutoring and their office hours. 他们不希望你失败.” 

One of the biggest differences between high school and college is the freedom college allows its students. 课间休息, 唐纳利的学生可以和老师见面, 研究, 和同学出去玩或者干脆离开校园. Ramirez and Ri joked that not needing a hall pass to use the restroom during class time at Donnelly was quite a shock at first.

According to Coordinator of Academic Affairs Emily Jacobsen, high school students who qualify for College Credit Now as juniors could potentially finish earning their associate degree from Donnelly at the same time that they graduate with a high school diploma – saving them two years of time and tuition costs.

“[College Credit Now] is a great opportunity because students are... creating lives for themselves earlier and opening up more doors,” Jacobsen said.

Ramirez hopes to eventually become a surgeon while Ri sees himself entering the engineering field.

Ramirez和Ri完成了他们的第一学期, Donnelly’s leadership hopes this pilot program can be expanded to include more students from any partner high school near Donnelly’s campus. Not only have these two students excelled in their studies, but they bring hope to other high school students who want to get one step ahead in life.

“多米尼克和帕劳——他们很有活力, 他们只是超级明星,学院院长丽莎·斯图霍夫说. “他们都是最适合这个职位的学生... 这是一个增加的工作量, but they understand the value of what they’ve been given and they’re not taking it for granted.”