LANCASTER PREP SCHOOL SEEKING MORE STUDENTS.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Officials from SOAR High School, a school that blends college course work with normal high school classes at Antelope Valley College, will visit middle and intermediate schools to recruit students.

SOAR, or Students on the Academic Rise, started this year and is one of about 15 such college preparatory schools in California.

``It's been going well,'' Principal Michael Dutton said. ``There are obviously adjustments that occur when you bring in freshmen and plop them down on Antelope Valley College. The adjustments have been steady and positive, and our students are maturing.''

The program targets eighth-graders whose parents didn't attend college and who are from families of lower socioeconomic status, underrepresented minorities or who are underperforming in a traditional setting.

The school is a joint program of the Antelope Valley Union High School District and the college.

Students spend part of their class days in their own classroom with high school teachers and take some college courses.

The school emphasizes math, science and engineering education, and students have to provide their own transportation.

At the end of their fourth year, the students will have high school diplomas. At the end of their fifth year, they will have a two-year associate's degree and will be able to transfer to four-year colleges or universities.

Dutton said of the 51 students who first enrolled, 48 have remained. Some students have struggled while others have attained 4.0 grade-point averages in both their high school and college courses, Dutton said.

``We attempted 314 college credits and successfully completed 245,'' Dutton said. ``These are freshmen in high school. They got a real nice jump into their college career as well as their high school career in terms of credit acquisition.''

Dutton said the school is aiming to enroll 90 more students next year.

A series of informational meetings at 6 p.m. are being held this month and in March. Locations and meeting dates are:

Piute Middle School, Thursday, 425 E. Ave. H-11;

Mesa Intermediate School, Feb. 13, 3243 E. Ave. R-8;

Amargosa Creek Middle School, Feb. 15, 44333 27th St. W.;

Joe Walker Middle School, Feb. 21, 5632 W. Ave. L-8;

Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes School, Feb. 22, 16633 Elizabeth Lake Road;

Challenger Middle School, Feb. 26, 41725 170th St. E.;

New Visa Middle School, Feb. 28, 753 E. Ave. K-2;

Juniper Intermediate School, March 6, 39066 Palm Tree Way;

Desert Willow Intermediate, March 7, 37230 37th St. E;

Antelope Valley College, March 15, 3041 W. Ave. K.

For information, call Dutton at [phone].

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

[phone]