Ribbon Cutting Held for Randolph Early College High School
at Randolph Community College

ASHEBORO (August 20, 2008)

LaVerne Williams, chair of the Randolph County Board of Education, cuts the ribbon at the modular building for Randolph Early College High School. Looking on are (left to right) Dr. Robert Shackleford Jr., Randolph Community College president; Cathy Waddell, principal of RECHS; and Donald Andrews, superintendent of Randolph County Schools.

The crowd of students gathered around for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Randolph Community College today were a little younger than you usually find on a college campus. That's because they were high school freshman, sophomores, and juniors from Randolph Early College High School, which recently occupied a new modular building on the RCC campus built specifically to handle third-year classes at the school.

"The Randolph Early College High School just began its third year of operation. The first two years have been incredible, and we expect this year to be nothing less than our very best," said RCC President Robert Shackleford Jr. "Retention rates have been at a high level that can hardly be found in any kind of school anywhere. End-of-year testing scores have been exceptional, making the Randolph Early College High School one of the six best performing high schools in the state of North Carolina. But what is more exceptional...is the enthusiasm and positive attitude that is characteristic of this school's faculty, staff, administration, and students."

In addition to the RECHS students, the audience for the ribbon-cutting ceremony consisted of RECHS staff and faculty, RCC staff and faculty, Randolph County Schools personnel, Randolph County Commissioners and county personnel, RCC Board of Trustees members, RCC Foundation Board members, and representatives from Smith Sinnett Architecture, Uwharrie Builders, and Comark Building Systems.

Jim Campbell, chair of the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees, welcomed the group, then turned the podium over to Dr. Shackleford. Also speaking were Harold Holmes, chair, Randolph County Board of Commissioners; John Sinnett, principal, Smith Sinnett Architecture; Donald Andrews, superintendent, Randolph County Schools; LaVerne Williams, chair, Randolph County Board of Education; and Cathy Waddell, principal, Randolph Early College High School.

In his remarks, John Sinnett noted that only eight months ago, the site was a gravel parking lot. The design, preparation and building all took place in that short time span. He also said that as an architect, he likes to look at the meaning of a facility. "What this facility means is that you are able to get two years of college under your belt and save your families $16,000 a year," he said to the gathered students.

RECHS is an autonomous high school located on the campus of Randolph Community College, one of 33 Early College High Schools in North Carolina and Randolph County's fifth high school. In this partnership between Randolph County Schools and Randolph Community College, students earn their high school diploma AND up to two years of transferable college credit or an associate's degree in four/five years. Benefits include financial savings -- tuition, fees and insurance are paid by Learn and Earn money; books and transportation are provided by Randolph County Schools.

The ribbon-cutting guests had a chance to take a brief tour of the new facility following the ceremony. The 6,384-square-foot building houses five large classrooms including a science lab and office space. RECHS juniors are taking classes in the new building, while freshmen and sophomores continue to take their high school classes on the second floor of the J. W. "Willie" Plummer Vocational/Technical Center.

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