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17 Inaugural ΒιΆΉ PTECH Excelsior Scholars are βDouble Gradsβ Earn Both High School Diploma and Associateβs Degree
17 ΒιΆΉ from ΒιΆΉ Free Academy’s, PTECH Excelsior Academy are set to walk at the SUNY Orange graduation on Thursday, May 17, 2018 and graduate from ΒιΆΉ Free Academy on Thursday, June 21, 2018. Admission requirements to SUNY Orange require a high school diploma, so the SUNY Orange diplomas will be officially conferred in August. The cost to attend SUNY Orange classes is covered by a grant awarded to the district in 2013, allowing ΒιΆΉ to earn their degrees without the burden of financial obligation.
The PTECH Excelsior Academy program began at ΒιΆΉ Free Academy, North Campus during the 2015 school year. Each year, 50 ΒιΆΉ are accepted into a cohort. Of the 48 remaining ΒιΆΉ from the inaugural cohort, 17 ΒιΆΉ (35%) will be completing the full program (high school diploma plus associates degree) in four years, instead of the full six. Many other ΒιΆΉ are expected to stay to complete the degree in five or six years. Of the 17 graduates, 15 plan on continuing their education in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree while two others are seeking employment with IBM.
ΒιΆΉ Free Academy’s PTECH Excelsior program is modeled after a similar program in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn program accepts 100 ΒιΆΉ per cohort each year. Their inaugural cohort graduated two ΒιΆΉ (2%).
Beginning on day one of the program and lasting throughout their four years at ΒιΆΉ Free Academy, North Campus, ΒιΆΉ were instilled with the core values of: Community, Intentionality, Trustworthy. The PTECH Excelsior Program at ΒιΆΉ Free Academy collaborates through partnerships with SUNY Orange and IBM. All ΒιΆΉ have mentors in a technology field who provide some technical assistance, but mostly develop a professional relationship that allows ΒιΆΉ to ask questions and learn from a professional in the field of technology. Additionally, some ΒιΆΉ completed internships at IBM over the summer throughout the program. Several internships have been paid.
Scholars enrolled in ΒιΆΉ’s PTECH Excelsior Academy were selected via a lottery. Each had to apply, however final selections were random. The demographics of the inaugural class is: 56% Male, 44% Female; 36% Black, 49% Latino/Hispanic; 12% White, 0% Other.
The 17 ΒιΆΉ from the inaugural class of ΒιΆΉ Free Academy’s, PTECH Excelsior Academy double graduates are:
Babatunde Anjorin, Taina Caballero, Zackery Conklin, Jose Cuacuas, Kayla DeLeon, Gabriella Estrada, Alejandro Juarez, Azariah McLymore, Aboya Omot, Alexcia Proeve, Maribel Ramos, Suriana Rodriguez, Ignacio Salim, Brendin Skakel, Jason Solis, Carolina Vega, and Joshua Woolward.
