FOR SOME, A HEAD START TAKING COLLEGE CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Starting high school can be a trying time for a freshman, but for one group of students there's an extra challenge -- starting college at the same time.

Fifty freshmen form the first class of Students on the Academic Rise High School, a joint effort by the Antelope Valley Union High School District and Antelope Valley College. The goal is to give teens a leg up on their academic careers by allowing them to graduate high school and have an associate's degree at the same time.

``I was going to take college programs even if they didn't have this,'' said Chris Kitrell, 13, of Lancaster, one of SOAR's students. ``This really helps me out. It's a way to get to my career faster.''

Students spend part of their class days in their own classroom with high school teachers. They also take some college work through the college's regular course offerings.

As they progress, they will spend more of their time in subsequent years in college courses.

``There's 400 concurrent high students on (AVC) campus anyways,'' said Michael Dutton, SOAR's principal. ``We just added 50 more to the mix in a different setting.''

The school uses two classrooms on the AVC campus where teens take their high school courses. The high school district provides a staff of four: Dutton, two teachers and a secretary.

SOAR students take their college courses in regular AVC classrooms. Classes for the first freshman class include Library 101, in which students will learn how to use the library for their school research, and computer applications, in which students will learn about the basic operations and software of computers.

``It's a great opportunity for me to get to a better college or university,'' said Michael Tadiosa, 13, from Palmdale.

Tadiosa said his biggest adjustment is learning to manage his time.

``We're just beginning,'' Tadiosa said. ``As we move on, it'll get harder.''

The school is aimed at students who might not otherwise consider college as an option -- students from families where no one has gone to college, low socioeconomic status, underrepresented minority groups, or those who are capable of doing better but are underperforming in a traditional setting, said Jill Zimmerman, AVC's dean of student services.

To be eligible for the program, students had to have scored at or above the basic levels on the California State Test in Language Arts and Math; had at least a B in pre-algebra or a C or better in algebra; had a C or better in language arts courses; and had an overall 2.0 grade-point average or higher in the first semester or second trimester of the eighth grade.

Just over half of the students are female. The students come from throughout the Antelope Valley, Zimmerman said.

The school started on Aug. 14, the start date for the rest of the high school district. The college started its classes on Aug. 21.

``Things are going fantastic,'' Zimmerman said. ``The students are getting settled in and getting into their classes.''

Officials hope to grow the student body to about 100 students for each incoming class in subsequent years.

SOAR High School will emphasize mathematics, science and engineering education. Officials hope to get the students involved with engineering-related courses in their junior and senior years through a partnership with Fresno State University, which offers courses in the Antelope Valley.

SOAR High School is supported by a $400,000 grant from the Foundation for California Community Colleges, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The grant is expected to cover the first four years of operation and officials expect to be able to land additional grants.

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 2 -- color) Teacher Yvonne Campos, right, works with students who attend SOAR classes at Antelope Valley College. SOAR Principal Mike Dutton, below right, talks to SOAR student Chris Kitrell, 13.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer