Los Alamos Early College and Career Academy (LAECCA) students (left to right) Asher Koh, Michael Bane and Brandon Stokes pose with House Representative Christine Chandler and Senator Leo Jaramillo at the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast. Photo Courtesy LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
If there is one word that describes the Los Alamos Early College and Career Academy (LAECCA) students, it would be amazing. LAECCA students, Asher Koh, Mikey Bane, and Brandon Stokes attended last week’s Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast where they met with community leaders and heard about the recent legislative session from Senator Leo Jaramillo and House Representative Christine Chandler.
Following up on how the breakfast went, Executive Director Ryn Herrmann said, “These kids are amazing.” She was impressed with the students’ engagement with Chamber of Commerce members and the overall positive impression they made. She was especially impressed with the thoughtful questions the students had for Representative Chandler and Senator Jaramillo.
The Chamber of Commerce invites two or three LAECCA students to attend their monthly breakfasts as a work-based learning opportunity. Director Herrmann pairs each student with a host from the business community, so students can meet community leaders and begin developing professional networks of their own. “It’s like a mini-mentorship opportunity,” said LAECCA Coordinator Brent Collom.
Feedback from parents highlighted what a great networking opportunity this was for the students. Students enrolled in the LAECCA program are able to take college level courses in Robotics, Emergency Medical Services, and Business/Marketing. The concept of an early college program took shape in the spring of 2013 when Los Alamos Public Schools received a grant from PED to form LAECCA. In May 2019, the College and Career Readiness Bureau of New Mexico’s Public Education Department (PED) presented LAECCA with its official certification early college high school. Since its inception, 36 students have received certificates through LAECCA. Besides the three students who attended the Chamber Breakfast, 48 LAHS students are enrolled in the program this year.
Earlier in the week, progress from the Fall 2023 term was examined for LAECCA students on the whole. The +/- grading at the University of New Mexico awards 3.7 points for an A- and 4.33 for an A+. Twenty-one LAECCA students enrolled in 34 classes at UNM-LA, earning 103 college credits in the fall term.
A typical concern for dual credit programs is whether high school students are able to complete college level courses and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in college classes; however, LAECCA students are atypical. Upon learning that LAECCA students had a collective 4.07 GPA for the fall semester, LAPS Superintendent Jennifer Guy had a one-word response: Amazing!