Students can work on high school diploma and receive associate degree from Black River Technical College

POCAHONTAS, Ark. (KAIT) – Black River Technical College announced that its “technical opportunities and pathways for secondary students” pilot program will now become a secondary technical center.

The program started three years ago and was only offered in Marmaduke, Clay, Lawrence and Randolph counties and now it will be extended to Greene County.

This extension will allow high school students the opportunity to work on both high school and college credit at the same time and the best part, it will be free.

“The approval of the Secondary Technical Centers will allow Black River Technical College (BRTC) to enhance existing partnerships with local school districts. The BRTC Secondary Technical Centers will provide superior career technical training for all high school students in Northeast Arkansas, while the high school students receive college credit and potentially earn technical certifications,\” Vice President of Academics, Brad Baine said.

Students can speed the first half of their day on their high school campus and then head over to BRTC in both Paragould and Pocahontas to study programs that like welding, phlebotomy and more.

Through this program, Pocahontas senior Breanna Manciaz has already received her associate degree before she’s graduated from high school.

“They offered me college courses to come through and get a degree and I’ll be graduating in 2020 with my high school and coming here to BRTC with my certified nursing assistant in phlebotomy.”