Did you know that you can jumpstart your career while you’re still in high school? Many students, by cutting their high school years a little short, dive straight into the real world, and begin college, careers, or other opportunities ahead of their fellow classmates.
Students at Rock Island High School, who are entering their senior year with 18.5 credits or more, and are in line to meet all graduation requirements, can apply to graduate early.
Canyon Thompson (12) is one of the 54 students at Rock Island High School who graduated early. “I chose to graduate early because I already had a full time job set out for me, and a steady plan for the future,” says Thompson (12).
Instead of taking a traditional education route, Thompson is now a General Traveling Contractor for UPS, and will be transitioning into a job in real estate. “I would like to be more advanced in my job by taking on more opportunities it presents, like getting requested to do jobs on my own that would earn me more money,” Thompson says. While most people would be worried about starting a job, he took advantage of an opportunity he was given to start his life, and get going on his path of success.
Another Rock Island graduated senior, Grayson Perion, started their life on a different path. Perion is working a full time job until August, then will begin attending college at Eastern Illinois University. “I had all of my credits, and was ready to move on to a new chapter in my life,” Perion says.
She plans to set high standards for herself during college, saying, “I hope to maintain a 3.9-4.0 GPA in college, and simply enjoy the time and experiences I have.” While this may be challenging, holding high expectations for yourself can be beneficial in a new independent environment.
Challenging themselves, students on track to graduate early must double up on English classes, or take a summer English class to meet said requirements.
“The teacher was very cooperative, which made it easy to get through my semester without it being overwhelming,” says Thompson.
Similarly, Perion says, “I’ve never found it overwhelming, but exciting. My counselor was super helpful, so I didn’t have to stress about anything.”
Perion, through their experience, gives advice to younger grades, saying, “Be open to trying new things. It’s not easy, but there are so many resources and people that want to help you strive as a Rock. Nothing is permanent, including struggles. Maybe at the time it seems like the end of the world, but everything will right itself, one way or another.”
