SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — While many college campuses remain relatively quiet during the winter break between semesters, one lecture hall at Southern Maine Community College was packed Thursday morning.
Seventy high school seniors, their parents, guardians, or a guidance counselor sat through the college's "Spring Ahead" program orientation.
For the past few years, qualified high school seniors have had the opportunity to take college courses at SMCC and experience college life before they graduate high school.
"We’re seeing some significant success with our students because they have their foot in the college door," Patrick Haviland, SMCC's "Spring Ahead" coach, said.
Students apply to the program for a variety of reasons. Greely High School seniors Liam O'Brien and Liliya Lysenko said they wanted to get a better feel for the college workload and chip away at some general education classes.
"This program, I hope it’s going to help me figure out what I want to study," Lysenko said. "I’m planning on going to a bigger college next year and I thought it would be better to get a feel of what the college life is like."
O'Brien is also looking to attend a larger university in the fall and said Greely High School's guidance counselors helped him apply and prepared him for this program.
"I want to study sports and business management with a minor in coaching," O'Brien said. "I want to get my [required courses] out of the way so I can focus on getting my degree and getting internships."
Like a freshman orientation, these high school students were given a campus tour Thursday, met with school staff, learned where to park for classes, and got their student IDs.
They also had the chance to hear from current college students, like Madison Wright, who already went through the program.
"I joined the program a few years ago because I was one of those people that just wanted to get ahead and get out of high school a little early," Wright said. "This was a great opportunity for me to get ahead of my peers."
Wright, who studies nursing and plays field hockey at the University of New England, is a junior—a year ahead of when she would graduate on a more traditional track.
She said she told the new wave of students in the program to take the coursework seriously and to make the most out of it.
Haviland said he knows the transition to college can be difficult for some students, but said he and others at SMCC are ready to help in any way they can.
The "Spring Ahead" program begins when SMCC returns for the spring semester on Jan. 16.
For more information about Southern Maine Community College, click here.