Vicksburg Warren School District is introducing an opportunity for 60 students in Vicksburg and Warren County to graduate with two years of college credits or an associate’s degree — for free.

River City Early College High School is a new, alternative approach for students in Warren County who are looking for a different high school experience, VWSD superintendent Chad Shealy said. The school is set to be the second of its kind in the state.

“There are students that are in our schools currently who are not involved in the opportunities like athletics or band and they don’t have a place,” he said. “There are students out there who high school is done to them, and they can’t wait for it to be over.”

The reason students aren’t able to pursue certain extra curricular activities is due to the focused class scheduling, which doesn’t allow for students to take the elective courses required for band or athletics.

“The first two years we will provide high school teaching for credits that can’t be dual credit,” he said. “In eleventh and twelfth grade they will be in college courses full time.”

Students who graduate from the early college high school may be bound for a four-year university upon graduation or they may enter the workforce with a two-year professional certification or associate’s degree, Shealy said.

“We’ve got opportunities for kids for employment in this town that require a four-year degrees or higher, and if you can shave two years of that off of that degree, they can get those jobs two years quicker than anyone else in their senior class,” he said. “In addition to that, you have students who have no desire whatsoever to go to a four-year institution, but they want career certification: They want to be a welder, they want to be in computer simulation, animation and design, they want to hold an associate’s degree and go to work. When their cohort is graduating high school, these kids will hold those certifications already and be able to go into the workforce.”

Students who attend Warren Central High School or Vicksburg High School have the opportunity to take four college courses for free through Hinds Community College and Alcorn State University. Additional courses may be taken at an additional cost.

Shealy said the early college model gives students who are mature enough and ready to move on an opportunity to pursue that option after eighth grade.

“They’re not skimming off the top and saying this is a valedictorian process where we take everyone who applies and working down 60 spots,” he said. “Your solid C kids are your best students in this. They’re not always necessarily engaged in the type of learning they’re getting, but they flourish in these environments.”

Students who have attendance issues are not a prime candidate for the program due to the requirements of the college courses.

The Vicksburg Warren School District will have no input on which students are accepted to the program. Mississippi State University’s Research and Curriculum Unit will vet and approve applications and from those approved, 60 students will be selected randomly.

“I’m elated,” Shealy said. “This is one of the things we received through our Innovative District grant. I know that there are other districts that are wanting to do this that couldn’t do this. They were not allowed yet. It was very encouraging for MDE to give us a blessing and say ‘we’re excited to be moving forward with this in Vicksburg.’ That’s pretty huge for our community too.”

Any students in Vicksburg and Warren County are eligible to apply for the program, and at a Tuesday interest meeting, students representing all three VWSD junior high schools, home school and private schools were in attendance.

Another information session will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at Hinds Community College in the Loviza Building Auditorium. The session is not mandatory for eligibility.

The application for River City Early College High School will soon be available on the district’s website. For more information, contact VWSD assistant superintendent David Campbell at dcampbell@vwsd.org.