Akron Early College High School - Akron, OH

Akron Early College High School (AECHS) was created as a joint venture between Akron Public Schools, The University of Akron, and the KnowledgeWorks Foundation. Embedded on The University of Akron’s campus, AECHS draws first generation college students from all over the city of Akron and several surrounding suburbs. Promoting a family atmosphere and a school culture of support, AECHS has built a tradition of turning ninth graders into successful full-time college students by the time they enter eleventh grade.

The culture of support is apparent in all aspects of the school. Students are supportive of each other through small group learning within the classroom and peer-tutoring for both high school and college courses outside of the classroom. Faculty advisors pair with members of the student leadership team who serve as peer mentors to groups or individuals as needed. School dances, lock-ins and intramural sports allow for balance between work and play.

The strength of Akron Early College lies in its ability to teach students how to learn. The teachers demystify education, giving the students the skills, tools and confidence to pursue challenging coursework. Through embedding strategies for how to learn into the core content standards of what to learn, students who were once considered at risk demographically, become scholars and college graduates. AECHS prides itself on the high percentage of seniors who earn their high school diplomas and their associate degrees within the same week. Seventy-eight percent of the graduating class continues on for their Bachelors’ degrees.

Akron Early College can best be described as a school where our diverse population melds into a unified educational community where excellence is a choice.