The Quest for Academic Success
Hope Nguyen, Staff Writer
February 24, 2020
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Applause encompassed the Flour Bluff High School (FBHS) Teaching Theater as our hornet mascots Buzzy and Buzzette joined hands with Del Mar College’s Valdar the Viking in celebration of their new partnership program.
“Watch out for this,” said Del Mar College (DMC) president and chief executive officer Mark Escamilla, Ph.D. “The Flour Bluff High School Viking Academy is a new, more elaborate approach with a real college experience built into it that we hope to replicate at other high schools.
Starting in fall 2020, students will have the opportunity to take up to 42 core credit hours — earning their high school diploma while simultaneously graduating with an associate’s degree.
Ninth and tenth grade students will continue their instruction at Flour Bluff High School while junior- and senior-level students who meet the FBHS and DMC requirements will be given transportation to the Del Mar College East Campus to attend their core courses. Once the construction of the Del Mar College Southside Campus, a 7 minute driving distance, is completed, the students will be transported to this location to receive instruction.
Tuition costs $99 per three-hour course or $33 per credit hour, the same as Del Mar dual credit students. The school will also cover the costs of transportation, as well as provide scholarships to those with an economic need. The schools will ensure that the program will be open to all students, regardless of financial status.
Our counselors are working with the Del Mar staff members to determine the perfect candidates to begin their voyages at the FBHS Viking Academy. Up to 200 freshman are being selected to attend.
“A personalized graduation plan will be developed for each student to ensure their successful and on-time completion of high school,” expounds Flour Bluff High School principal and Del Mar College graduate James Crenshaw.
"Please people, take my Short Stories class. You won’t regret it."
"Please people, take my Short Stories class. You won’t regret it."
-Bryan Beauchamp
-Bryan Beauchamp
Designed for students to keep their hornet identity, the program allows students to receive another layer of support while enriching their school experience. These students, whether they call themselves hornets or vikings, will be prepared to continue their education or career path of choice.
Mr. Crenshaw describes the partnership as a dream. “Given an opportunity to excel, these students can and will do it.”
“It is quite good stuff, but I get that historical, one might even say old, stuff written by people long dead, isn’t of interest to young people,” he said.
With this concept in mind, Beauchamp created “Short Stories” a few years ago to capture the interest of his students. Though successful in the past, enrollment in the course was low this year and Beauchamp was unable to continue teaching it.
“If you must take a senior English class anyway, why not give this a shot?” he asked.
Though this class is not grade-weighted, Beauchamp explained that “Short Stories” will certainly not be a “blow-off” class. Seniors taking the course will be required to write an original short story and analysis paper every six weeks. However, these grades are largely based on effort and he considers tests and essays to be “doable” if students are paying attention.
“I think it is a very fun class,” he said. “Challenging to the mind, but enriching.”
This class can not be taken by multi-disciplinary students to substitute an English IV class. However, it can be taken for one semester as an elective credit.
Beauchamp, when asked about what he would want to say to prospective students, said this:
“Please people, take my Short Stories class. You won’t regret it.”
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