Lower Richland High School student graduating 1-year early, 1st semester of college also complete

The dual-enrollment program through Midlands Technical College allows students to graduate ahead of the game.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — A dual-enrollment program between Lower Richland High School and Midlands Technical College allows students to graduate ahead of the game.

Seventeen-year-old Blessen Ryant is just like any other student in high school.

“I like to hang out with my friends, because that’s where I can be the most stress free. I also like to color. That’s kind of childish, but I do like to color a lot. I like to listen to music, play games, stuff like that,” Ryant says.

Except Ryant will be graduating high school an entire year early, and has a certificate for completing 18 credit hours thanks to the dual-enrollment program.

Blessen says she and other students that take the program complete courses like psychology, sociology, theatre, early childhood education, and criminology — with the college professors teaching them at Lower Richland High School.

“It’s a little bit harder than high school, and it’s more work. It’s less active stuff, and more like listening and watching PowerPoints and stuff like that, so that’s where it really differed for me from high school,” Ryant says.

Ryant finds that she’s not the best at studying, saying, “I had to put more work in with the college classes, because usually I don’t have to study. I don’t have to do anything before, I just kind of do it, but I had to read a lot more, and look up a lot more stuff outside of the classroom with my college classes.”

Ryant, who has a 4.2 GPA, says her plan is to attend UNC Charlotte in the fall and major in Pre-Med before becoming a nurse or a doctor.

Ryant’s initial inspiration for her major came from television.

“Honestly? I started watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and it was really interesting. I like to watch surgeries and stuff like that.  And then my Mom wanted to be a nurse when she was younger so it just always interested me,” Ryant says.

School Counselor Chair Sophronia Scott says all students have a chance to enroll in the dual enrollment program– which is entirely free to the student.

“I’m very proud of them. They’re always coming back excited, you know — the money they have saved, the experience, so, it’s great. It has been really a phenomenal opportunity for them,” Scott says, before adding, “It’s just been really great watching the students take the challenge, and the accomplishments, and when they go off to college, this is something the parents don’t even have to pay for, the rigor of the program. I mean it’s great.”

Ryant graduates from Lower Richland High School on May 24th.