Clarke Central High School Dual Enrollment Coordinator Catherine Melton poses with the flyer for AP/Dual Enrollment Night in E.B. Mell Lobby on Oct. 24. Melton prepared a presentation about dual enrollment for the event, which will take place on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. in the E.B. Mell Auditorium. “It’s my goal that if students do continue to take college level classes, whether it’s you take an intro level welding class at Athens Tech your senior year, and you really love it, and then you continue after graduation to finish that program and get a really great paying job, or maybe you’re taking a class at (University of North Georgia or the University of Georgia), and that’s an intro level class to what will be your future major,” Melton said. Photo by Lea D’Angelo
CCHS’ annual AP/Dual Enrollment Night will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the E.B. Mell Auditorium and Lobby.
With the second half of the fall semester underway at Clarke Central High School, so are preparations for the 2026-27 school year, which include the annual AP/Dual Enrollment Night.
The event was organized by CCHS Family Engagement and Academic Support Specialist Christian Barner and will be held on Oct. 28 in the E.B. Mell Auditorium and Lobby at 6 p.m., featuring presentations from program representatives and counselors from both the Athens Community Career Academy and CCHS.
“We want families whose students are thinking about doing dual enrollment next school year to know what the process and timeline is,” CCHS Dual Enrollment Coordinator Catherine Melton, who will be presenting at the event, said. “Having these events where not only students but also families (can come) and get information about the program helps the process, because there’s more support for helping students with applications.”
“We have students who are doing all different types of things. (Dual enrollment is) not just for the students who get straight A’s. It’s not just for the students who are in advanced classes.”
— Catherine Melton,
CCHS Dual Enrollment Coordinator
Teachers of Advanced Placement classes will also have tables set up in the lobby, where students and families can ask questions about AP courses, something CCHS English department teacher Denisse Maddox hopes will give prospective AP Seminar students more information, particularly as a new class at CCHS.
“I want families to understand that AP Seminar is a stepping stone into other AP language and literature classes. Those classes can seem intimidating for students who might not enjoy reading,writing or research,” Maddox said. “(But, AP Seminar) introduces students to the idea that they can research and learn about things that interest them.”
A slideshow shows five things students applying for dual enrollment should know, according to Clarke Central High School Dual Enrollment Coordinator Catherine Melton. When meeting with students about the dual enrollment, Melton has adopted the practice of making students keep track of their scheduled appointments, something she believes helps prepare them for the future. “If you miss your meeting, then you’ll have to reschedule (like) if you missed a doctor’s appointment. There’s consequences for that,” Melton said. “If you can think as a high school student, ‘What are some of the basic organizational skills that (will) help me, not only in my classes, dual enrollment, (Athens Community Career Academy) or my (Advanced Placement) classes, but also in the real world?’ Those are things to focus on, and it’s going to help you in the long run.” Graphics by Lea D’Angelo
Melton hopes the event shows families that dual enrollment is a valuable opportunity and not one students should shy away from it because of the application process and misconceptions of the program.
“We have students who are doing all different types of things. (Dual enrollment is) not just for the students who get straight A’s. It’s not just for the students who are in advanced classes. We have students doing all different types of (subjects) through dual enrollment. So, I think more students are eligible to participate than they think,” Melton said.
