By Katherine Robinson

There are many field trips that students go on during the course of their high school career. However, this one was different. Students enrolled in the Finance, Graphic Design, and Advanced ESL Language programs just went to William Paterson University. They did not go to see if they wanted to go there. They went because they already earned college credits from there!

Dual enrollment classes are a great way for PHS students to earn college credit, while they are completing their high school graduation requirements. PHS offers students many opportunities to get college credit in many different course pathways. This trip to WPU focused on finance, and graphic design, as well as advanced ESL, but there are dual enrollment opportunities in English, (with Mr. Z!) history and other classes too. So, make sure when you are scheduling your classes, you talk to your guidance counselor so that you get the most out of your time here at PHS.

The students who went to WPU on this field trip collectively earned 156 credits. The trip was to mark their achievement and perhaps do some planning for the future. By taking these classes these PHS students will have an edge over their peers from other schools. Getting a head start is never a bad thing.

Jona’T Williams, a senior, said of the trip, “Not only do I get to have fun learning new things in these dual enrollment classes, but I get the college credit too, before I even graduate high school!” She added, “I had a good time on the field trip, because I felt like I was really part of the college too.”