By May 14, some seniors will have not just one but two degrees. 

Derby High offers multiple programs that allow students to graduate with an Associate’s Degree before they even graduate high school. 

Senior Marina Loera is in the Pre-Nursing program that Butler Community College offers through their Early College Academy. On May 12, she will earn her first degree, an Associate’s in Liberal Arts – Science. 

“It feels unreal,” Loera said. “I always had wished graduation would approach, but now that it is here it is a bittersweet feeling. I have made so many great memories in the Butler program that I am sad to leave behind, but I am also excited to see that all the hard work paid off.”

Senior Annette Castillo-Lopez is in the same program. Besides being a high school senior, she is involved in many school clubs, soccer and works. She is also the oldest of five children in her family. So being a college student with a tight schedule, and lots of responsibilities, was not an easy assignment.

“Some challenges included lots of homework, late nights of studying and giving up lots of time just to make sure I am still passing class,” she said. “I am a student athlete who dedicated most of her time to my education and having college classes and playing soccer is tough, it is doable but there are lots of sacrifices you have to make in order to receive an associate.”

After all the late nights studying challenging sciences courses, like Pathophysiology, and trying to study all 206 bones in the human body, to memorizing plays for soccer… she would recommend the program to only a select few individuals.

“I would recommend this program to others if they want to get a head start on their career, but I also wouldn’t recommend it,” she said. “I feel like it’s another way kids in high school grow up faster and not enjoy the little moments throughout high school.”

Loera agrees that she wouldn’t recommend the program to everyone. 

“I would not recommend it to someone who is still unsure of what they want to do. It’s also a very humbling experience because a straight “A” student can go into any college program and become content with getting “C’s,” she said. 

Castillo-Lopez went on to state how she feels that there are a lot of things that the program didn’t prepare her for. 

“After completing the two year program at your high school nobody prepares you for the next step,” she vented. “…I wasn’t informed that we had to apply to the nursing program my senior year and take a TEAS test before entering and I do wish there was more information for college academy students for life after high school. That way I would have more time to study for the test and apply to more colleges that I wanted to apply for.”

Despite frustration, she still views that past four semesters as a blessing. 

“It is truly an amazing opportunity to be in the two year academy program,” Castillo-Lopez said.