Many U-46 summer grads finishing early
When Teghan Ivy, a Streamwood High School junior, learned she was pregnant last March, she didn't panic.
She got organized.
Already ahead with course credits, Ivy began talking to her counselor about finishing high school this summer - a full year ahead of most of her peers.
"In a lot of ways, it's been hard," said Ivy, who often heads straight from a full day of school to a shift at White Castle. "But I know what I need to do. I have to finish school."
Ivy, who plans to enter ECC's nursing program after her baby is born, has spent the summer taking civics and economics classes at South Elgin High School.
Today, she will take part in the district's third summer commencement ceremony.
Thirty-five Elgin Area School District U-46 students will join her, clad in caps and gowns from their five respective high schools.
Like Ivy, more than a dozen of those graduating students are juniors completing course requirements early.
Brittany Jones, of Bartlett, and Carlos Aranda, of South Elgin, each had more than 38 credits at the end of their junior year. Students need 40 credits to graduate.
Neither student ever took a study hall during their high school tenure.
Jones plans to enter the College of DuPage nursing program in the fall. Aranda, ECC's career and technical education program.
"My friends did give me a little bit of a hard time when I told them," Jones said, "but it would have just been a waste of time to come back and take two classes."
U-46 permits those who have graduated early to come back and participate in senior activities the following year-like prom, homecoming and senior celebration.
"I don't really feel like I'll have to miss much," Aranda said.
While the number of summer school students graduating early has held steady over the past several years, summer school counselor Jessica Cullinane said, more and more students are opting to participate in the summer graduation.
"They want closure," she said.
Today's graduation will take place at 3 p.m. at South Elgin High School's auditorium, 760 E. Main St. South Elgin.