Lexington, KY - For Matthew Dunn, a big difference between high school and college classes has been a noticeable drop in "busy work" at the collegiate level.
"The college classes are really less work, but they're more focused," Dunn said.
He should know. Dunn is taking both high school and college courses at the same time, as part of the inaugural class at Opportunity Middle College, which lets Fayette County high school juniors and seniors take classes at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) while finishing up their high school diplomas.
One of the goals is to get the students an associate's degree by the time they graduate from high school.
Of the 44 students in the program, Dunn is among the farthest along on that goal.
Opportunity Middle College principal Frank LaBoone knows not all who enter Opportunity Middle College will come out with a two-year degree.
"For those who have planned like him, it is attainable," LaBoone said.
Dunn has earned an "A" in each of the BCTC classes he took last fall and is taking three more in the current semester. With a little summer school, he plans to be spending most of next school year at BCTC's Cooper Drive campus, where he can take classes toward a degree in marketing.
For now, Dunn is at BCTC's Leestown Road campus, where Opportunity Middle College is headquartered. T ahe BCTC classes he is taking so far are "the basics," such as English and algebra, which count as dual credit for both high school and college.
Also on the campus are LaBoone and two high school teachers. English teacher Lee Ann Hager and math teacher Charma Linville teach classes for high school credit if the students aren't quite ready for the college level.
They also provide support and guidance for the college classes.
LaBoone and the other teachers have been "amazing," Dunn said.
"They have great backgrounds and they all genuinely care," he said.
And the teachers get to see something most high school teachers do not - their students' college success.
So far, the students mostly have been successful. Of the 73 college courses taken by Opportunity Middle College students in the fall semester, 40 percent were passed with an "A" and 30 percent were passed with a "B." The grade-point average for all college courses taken in the fall was 3.04.
All BCTC classes are Monday-Wednesday or Tuesday-Thursday, and many of them count as dual credit. Teachers fill in with the high school classes on the alternate days, much like the block scheduling in Fayette County's traditional public high schools.
Without a high school science or social studies teacher on the campus, students take those classes online.
LaBoone said that has proven to be a challenge for some of the students. As part of the selection process for next year's class, more weight will be put on grade-point average and personal interviews to make sure that students in the program have the motivation and the work ethic to work independently.
The selection process also is weighted toward minority students, economically disadvantaged students and those who would be first-generation college students. Students who want to be in Opportunity Middle College are also required to obtain a letter of recommendation from their principal, and they must write an essay as part of the application process.
LaBoone said adding the interview will help separate those kids who are "looking to get out of high school" from those who are seeking a "challenging, enhanced learning experience."
"They really have to kick it into high gear to be successful," LaBoone said.
Dunn has done that successfully, according to LaBoone. He was among the first Opportunity students to understand the big picture and map out a two-year plan to get a degree.
LaBoone described Dunn as focused and persistent. "He's not just looking to get by," LaBoone said.
And Dunn is smart enough to take advantage of the resources available.
"He asks for help whenever he needs it," LaBoone said. "Not all teenagers know to do that."
Dunn was home-schooled by his parents, Dorothy Dunn and Colt LaHaye, during middle school. He was, and technically still is, a student at Bryan Station High School.
"He was in advanced classes (at Bryan Station)," Dorothy Dunn said, "but we thought he could do better."
The students will graduate from whichever high school they were attending before joining Opportunity Middle College and can participate in extracurriculars at their high schools. They also still have to take the required standardized tests.
Dunn said he wants to get a bachelor's degree "without a doubt," but he hasn't decided where he wants to go to get that degree.
"I will have to see where exactly I get the best scholarship," he said.
Dunn grew up helping the family business C & D Catering, which Dorothy Dunn says has helped her son in developing a lot of business sense and has made him comfortable dealing with adults in a college setting. His college classmates are often surprised to find out he is still in high school.
"They want me to come out to the bars and study with them," Dunn said. When he tells them he is still a teenager, "they are shocked," he said.
But he also said they are very supportive. "They tell me they wish they had the opportunities we have."