Local News
Friday, May 08, 2009
High school sprinter races through collegeFEATURES WRITER
Fostorian Zack Ickes is a sprinter. He's raced across the track, cross the countryside and Friday he'll sprint through his college graduation — before he even graduates high school.
Ickes will race from a track meet at Ottawa Hills Friday afternoon to Owens Community College in Toledo to receive his associate's degree in general science. That's two weeks before he receives his high school diploma from Hopewell-Loudon High School on May 24.
The senior has been involved with the post secondary option, which allows high school students to take college classes while in high school.
"It was pretty much my dad that got me into it because high school was pretty easy, so he recommended post secondary (education)," said Ickes. He began with an online class each semester until he started full-time at Owens during his junior year. He's taken classes in calculus, chemistry, medical sociology, statistic and a variety of sciences.
He's also been active in high school activities and sports, including band, football and cross country.
His education has taught him time management.
"It's been pretty crazy doing sports and working with high school classes," said Ickes.
He's part of a growing trend.
"(Post Secondary Option) is becoming more popular. I've been here since 2002 and we had 65 then and this last fall about 170 were enrolled," said Angie McGinnis, director of enrollment services for the Owens Community College Findlay campus. She believes increased awareness of the program has led to the rise in popularity.
The Post Secondary Option program is open to students in grades 9 through 12. Some colleges have certain restrictions on what grades or what GPA for the younger years, but Owens has the same requirements for all grades. Those interested in attending at Owens need to have 3.0 GPA in the subject area they want to study.
"Typically we see high achieving students who have already demonstrated aptitude in their high school classes," said McGinnis. The college classes have to be coordinated with their school schedule.
McGinnis said a student receiving an associate's degree while still in high school is relatively rare. In her six years at the Findlay campus, she has seen three, two of which were this year.
"I was at an information session in McComb and there was a girl in ninth grade who said her goal was to do that. It doesn't happen all the time, but I anticipate it will be happening more often," said McGinnis.
Next fall, Ickes plans to transfer to Ohio State University and pursue a bachelor's degree in one of the sciences. After that, he plans to attend dental school.
"I'm looking forward to just getting to help people out and meet a lot of new people all the time," said Ickes.
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Ph: (419) 435-6641 • Fax: (419) 435-9073
113 E. Center St. • P.O. Box 947
Fostoria, OH 44830
The Findlay Publishing Company
P.O. Box 609
Findlay, OH 45839-0609
Phone: (419) 422-5151
www.findlaypublishing.com
Please read our privacy guidelines
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