Nearly 400 high school students earned dual credits through Salem Community College (SCC) in 2015-2016.

Through SCC’s College Acceleration Program (CAP), students in every Salem County high school as well as Gateway Regional High School in Gloucester County may take dual-credit courses. Students earn high school credits and college credits simultaneously, sometimes without even leaving their high school. Other courses are taught at SCC’s campus in Carneys Point.

SCC delivered a record 2,378 credits to 380 students (another benchmark) during the 2015-2016 academic year.

“This framework is the design for the future as more high school students are prepared for collegiate work,” said President Michael Gorman.

Through a program called Jump Start, Pennsville Memorial High School seniors may take English 101 and English 102 on SCC’s Carneys Point campus. The Pennsville School District pays for the two courses. Seniors may take other SCC courses at only $50 per credit, saving nearly $300 for every three-credit course.

Pennsville Class of 2016 graduate Meghan Wiggins (pictured) used Jump Start to earn 26 college credits during her senior year. She enrolled full-time at SCC this fall, majoring in education. “Taking SCC’s dual-credit program my senior year was great because it helped me make the transition from high school to college,” she said. “Going into my second year of college, I feel fully prepared because I know what to expect.”

More Salem High School students are earning college credits, thanks to a grant partnership between the Forman S. Acton Educational Foundation and SCC. The Acton Foundation provided a $36,800 grant that allowed 91 Salem students to earn credits for courses they completed in the past year—at no cost to them or their families.

Since 2001, SCC’s dual-credit partnership with the Salem County Vocational-Technical School District’s academy programs has resulted in 21 students who earned their associate degree before graduating from high school. The latest three to achieve this feat were Kelsey Stockton, Edgar Trejo and Donovan Velez. A Community College All-State Academic Team member, Kelsey transferred to Rutgers. Edgar enrolled in SCC’s pharmacy technician program and Donovan attends the U.S. Military Academy – West Point.