Several members of the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Class of 2025 earned a college degree and credits before they officially graduated high school. Students in the Early College Program — a collaboration between CCPS and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) — allows juniors and seniors to attend college courses while they are still in high school.

CCPS students participated May 9 in the college’s 66^th spring commencement exercise held on the La Plata campus of CSM.

Juniors who enter the two-year program can earn an associate’s degree in business administration, a medical coding certificate or pharmacy technician certificate. Seniors can start a one-year program to receive a general studies transfer certificate. They earn the certificate while simultaneously fulfilling their high school requirements. 

The Early College Program has several benefits. CCPS covers a student’s CSM tuition, administrative fees and course materials. The school system also provides boxed lunches and transportation from a student’s home high schools to CSM campuses and back. Students can save up to $10,000 in college tuition by successfully completing the degree program. The program also gives college-bound students an early look at what campus life might look like, and they can take advantage of support services offered by CSM.

The associate of applied science is a two-year undergraduate degree which prepares students to enter the workforce or get a jumpstart on a four-year degree by fulfilling general education requirements.

While some students earn an associate’s, others go for the general studies transfer certificate option. It is for students who intend to transfer to a four-year college or university, allowing them to apply for transfer to most four-year institutions based solely on their college course work.

CCPS students become active members of CSM campus life. Several CCPS students were inducted into the Kappa Beta Delta Honor Society, an international honor society for business programs. Two graduating seniors of La Plata High School’s Class of 2025 were elected to the CSM student government association (SGA). Jerbauri McFadden was elected treasurer while Joleen Wang will be the SGA’s campus activities representative. The four officer positions of the school’s Business and Accounting Club were held by Early College students.

Cadence Tolbert, who will graduate from Maurice J. McDonough High School on May 28, was selected by CSM staff to receive the Business Management Academic Excellence Award. Delphine Emmanuelle Fonke, a Westlake High School senior who will graduate on May 29, was a student speaker during CSM spring graduation ceremony earlier this month.  

The following are members of the CCPS Class of 2025 who earned an associate of applied science in business management and a certificate in business management.

• Amiayah Amos, St. Charles High School.
• Alexander Berry, St. Charles.  
• Kayla Brown, Henry E. Lackey High School.
• Layla Carrino, McDonough, honors.
• Lydia Chandler, Westlake, high honors.
• Nicholas Cruz, La Plata High School.
• Zanaiyah Curtis, Lackey.
  • Curtis also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Alexis Dorsey, La Plata.
• Beauty Dunn-Uthman, North Point High School.
• Joel Escobar Orozco, McDonough, honors.
• Delphine Emmanuelle Fonke, Westlake, highest honors.
• Tahj Franco, Thomas Stone, honors.
• Derek Garcia, McDonough.
• Ameir Gibson, St. Charles.
• Kiera Gnotsavath, La Plata, honors.
• Morgan Hawkins, Westlake.
• Anesa Hicks, Thomas Stone.
• Autumn Hill, North Point.
• Malaya Hollins, St. Charles.
• Jhenea Johnson, St. Charles.  
• Carla Jones, Lackey, highest honors.
• Austin Keys, Lackey.
• Kyle Kost, Lackey, honors.
• Kayla Landis, Westlake.
• Gabrielle Lee, Westlake, honors.
• Niya Lewis, McDonough, honors.
  • Lewis also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Higinio Martinez, St. Charles, high honors.
• Josiah Moore, St. Charles.
  • Moore also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Princess Ngang-Smith, Westlake.
• Aliyah Nichols, Thomas Stone, high honors.
  • Nichols also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Derrick Nolan, North Point.
• Nishtha Patel, St. Charles, honors.
  • Patel also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Saniya Pettus, La Plata.  
  • Pettus also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Naiyanna Proctor, St. Charles, honors.
• Kaylee Putnam, La Plata, honors.
• Raynna Ratchford, Westlake.
• Karina Reyes, La Plata.
• Kristabelle Salazar, St. Charles, honors.
• Janiaya Simms, St. Charles.
  • Simms also earned a letter of recognition in business management.
• Chloe Stanford, Westlake, high honors.
• Eli Stevens, La Plata, honors.
• Cadence Tolbert, McDonough, highest honors.
• Gabrielle Turner, McDonough, high honors.
• Landon Walker, La Plata.
• Isaiah Walters, Westlake.
• Joleen Wang, La Plata, high honors.
• Trinity Watford, Westlake, highest honors.
• Mark White II, La Plata, highest honors.

Joel Brevard of Thomas Stone High School earned a certificate in business management.

The following at CCPS students who earned a certificate in general studies transfer.

• Oluwasijibomi Akinwumi, St. Charles.
• Bryce Allison, McDonough.
• Khalil Blades, St. Charles.
• Yarelis Cortes-Torres, Westlake.
• Jordan Ferris, St. Charles.
• Hagen Gandee, La Plata.
• Aniya Gaskins, North Point, honors.
• Ethan Gbikpi-Benissan, St. Charles.
• Adriana Gordan, North Point.
• Jamya Green, Westlake.
• Michael Grier, Thomas Stone.
• Erika Hardy, St. Charles.
• Reece Hart, Lackey.
• Leah Hayes, La Plata, honors.
• Kennedi Jones-Scott, Lackey, highest honors.
• Hannah Kavlick, Lackey.
• Ange Gabriella Keugne, Westlake, honors.
• Ava Kubischta, La Plata.
• Zakiya Leak, McDonough.
• Jerbauri McFadden, La Plata, highest honors.
• Chasity McLeod, Westlake.
• Kwinton Meek, Westlake.
• Eyasu Mekonnen, McDonough.
• Victoria Mitchell, Westlake.
• Malak Obeid, North Point.
• Brigham Peterson, North Point, high honors.
• Austin Porter, St. Charles.
• Aliya Queen, McDonough, highest honors.
• Kylie Saddler, Westlake.
• Lauren Sanders, La Plata, high honors.
• Karrington Singletary, St. Charles.
• Nevaeh Thomas, St. Charles, honors.
• Sydney Watson, St. Charles.
• Shamayah Webley, Westlake.
• Jayden White, Westlake.
• Renico Williams Jr., Westlake, highest honors.

To learn more about the Early College Program, including criteria to enroll, visit www.ccboe.com. 

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.  CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).