Each year, fewer than 3% of high school students graduate early, according to USA Today. Junior Eva Long has plans to join that 3% of students. Long has worked hard in her courses, so much so that she is on track to have the privilege of finishing high school early.
Long has always considered graduating early; it’s a goal she has had in mind for quite some time.
“I always wanted to do it when I was younger,” Long said. “I knew I was on pace to be able to [graduate early].”
She has worked towards this since middle school, thinking ahead about her career in the future and what she wants to pursue.
“I’ve always been a good student,” Long said. “I’ve been advanced in math since I was in seventh grade.”
Being advanced in classes is crucial to being able to graduate early.
“Being advanced in math or language,” counselor Brian Halas said, “is a big part of what can make students eligible for the opportunity.”
Students who are advanced can get the credits they need to graduate sooner than typical high school students would. The process of graduating is challenging if one doesn’t spend their time wisely in high school. It is a reserved benefit only for a few students who have opportunities to go play for collegiate sports, or if coaches want them there earlier for training.
“It’s an opportunity for students with unique situations to complete high school graduation by their seventh semester,” Halas said.
Students looking to graduate early need to meet the state and high school requirements. For an FHS student, 24 credits is the minimum requirement; however, students can get up to four of those credits just from middle school. Doing summer school also gets students ahead and helps them get to their needed credit requirements.
To keep up with her work in order to graduate early, Long is also taking a summer course. She is taking her fourth year of English this summer to gain her final credits.
In addition to having to take a summer course, Long has learned a lot about time management.
“There are some nights that I’m just trying to get ahead,” Long said, “so I do homework for four hours.”
Long works after her volleyball practices to stay on track. Volleyball has been her love for a while. She has been playing volleyball since she was nine and started playing at Southern Lakes Park and Recreation. Her mother was a big influence on her playing volleyball.
“My mom played in college,” Long said.
Following in her mom’s footsteps, Long is going off to play volleyball in college at North Carolina State University.
“I have the opportunity to play division one,” Long said. “I’m super grateful for that.”
Overall, a wish that seventh grade Long had is coming true: graduating early to train and play volleyball at college. She plans to keep working hard as a student-athlete with her new opportunities at college.
