In less than a year, the Green Hope High School College and Career Promise (CCP) program has increased almost 600 percent, going from roughly 30 students to over 170 students. Between these students, nearly 300 classes are being taken through Wake Technical Community College, also known as Wake Tech.

While the program has been a part of Green Hope for well over five years, it began gaining traction in the 2021-2022 school year. There are many ways students can use this program to aid their learning, whether it’s taking the college transfer pathway or the Career & Technical Education (CTE) path. CTE classes are courses that teach more traditional trades such as welding and plumbing.

Mr. Justin McIntyre, Dean of students and head of the Green Hope CCP program gave an overview of the different pathways that Wake tech can provide. “The college transfer pathway allows students to earn credits towards a four year university and get ahead in their college career,” he said. “However, I always tell students to research the colleges they’re interested in because some credits will not transfer.” 

The other path available to CCP students is the CTE pathway. For some students, college is not the end-goal and they would prefer to start a career right out of high school. “[CTE] is for students who want to focus on a more vocational area, this pathway is geared towards more career driven students who are less interested in a four year university,” Mr. McIntyre said. 

Green Hope senior Mia Gifford (‘24) has been an enrolled student in the CCP program since sophomore year. She believes that Wake Tech classes teach valuable life skills to students that high school cannot provide and gave insight on her experience taking online college courses  “It’s made my days a little easier and given me more independence to learn how to manage my time better.” 

She also touched on the increased flexibility in her daily schedule. “Most of my classes are asynchronous and I have timelines to meet instead of instructional lessons, which makes me hold myself accountable,” she said. “I would recommend this program because it helps you learn more than just what’s in school and it helps you become more independent and prepares you for college courses.”

Similarly, Green Hope junior Briggs Stanley (‘25) dropped her first period class to enroll in Wake Tech classes. She provided insight on the positive impact gained from the CCP program. “As someone who is not a morning person, it’s helped me look at the day in a more positive light. I’m not forced to wake up at an hour that makes me tired all day,” she said. “Having the ability to choose [my schedule] makes my school day feel shorter, yet I’m more productive outside of school.”

Stanley enjoys the fact that she gets to have enough control over her schedule that she can drop a class while still acquiring credits needed for graduation. “The exposure to college content and the course itself is better preparing me for future classes and making the change from high school to college a more seamless transition,” Stanley said when asked how she saw this program helping her in the future. 

Mr. Katsuleris, Green Hope Career Development Coordinator and former head of the CCP program explained that although he supports the program, students need to do what is best for them. “I do think it’s a great program for kids, but it’s not necessarily right for everyone. It has to fit you and if you’re ready to take a college level course,” he said. “A lot of people will take the classes for the GPA benefit that the classes provide, which is not always smart.”

With CCP, Green Hope students have many new opportunities and options, even if they are untraditional.