Colfax High, LCSC expand college credits program

Colfax High School is adding two classes to its dual credit program, which awards college credit for classes taken in high school.

On May 24, an enrollment specialist from the Lewis-Clark State College will present the program at 10 a.m. in the high school library.

Still in its first year at Colfax, the dual credit program gives students college credit for taking a high school class. Run by math and science teacher Kathryn Vogler, a four-credit class costs $260.

Next school year, students can enroll for dual credit in physics, chemistry, pre-calculus or calculus, depending on their eligibility. Students take one science and one math class, progressing from chemistry to physics and pre-cal to calculus.

The program offered pre-cal and chemistry for its first year. Forty-two students took those classes this year, Vogler said.

LCSC, like several other universities around the inland northwest, offers the dual-credit program to local high schools.

Shane Andrews, an enrollment specialist from Lewis-Clark State College, will talk about the dual credit program next Tuesday.

Clarkston and Pomeroy are other Washington districts participating in the LCSC program.

“The primary purpose is to get these kids ready for post-secondary education,” Andrews said. He noted colleges also use it as a recruiting tool.

LCSC in Lewiston is a four-year accredited university with approximately 4,200 students.

Vogler said many students in both her science and math classes do not enroll for the dual credit program. Her aim is to offer a financial boost to college-bound students.

“I wanted to benefit these students that are college bound but haven’t received full-ride scholarships or vast amounts of student aid,” she said.

Eleven Idaho high schools are enrolled in the LCSC program.

Andrews plans to bring the application paperwork.

LCSC provided classroom calculators and a set of chemistry books to students in Vogler’s classes.