Caldwell Early College's first class celebrates their graduation last month.

Tim Rupnarain had a front row seat on surgeries at Wake Med. Sharod Fenner heads for NC State with two-plus years of college credit already earned. Emily G. Fore didn't have a "normal" high school experience, but she graduated with an associate's degree and the confidence that comes with a sense that she's "ahead in life."

In their own words, members of the class of 2011 from North Carolina's early college high schools say their decision to be among the first students in the pioneering schools was worth the risk: they were challenged to think critically, solve real problems and prepare themselves for the changing world that awaits them after high school.

Several new graduates from early colleges offered their thoughts on their "out-of-the-box" experience and how they feel the non-traditional approach to high school proved to be an opportunity for success.

Read what they have to say.

Graduates at Wayne Early/Middle College head for commencement.

With families facing rising tuition costs, more than 1,300 students graduating from high school this spring in North Carolina have already made a big down payment on that expense by getting a head start on college by as much as two years.

These graduates, all from the state's pioneering early college high schools, are proving that schools that match high expectations with highly effective teaching and learning can help all students reach high levels of achievement and preparation for college and careers.

About half the 1,300-plus graduates this year earned an associate's degree or two years of transferrable college credit - giving them a significant head start on a four-year degree or career preparation. Unofficial data indicates that for the 40 schools with full cohorts of students graduating this year, more than 90 percent of the students who began as freshmen earned at least a high school diploma.

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With a $25,000 award from the Biogen Idec Foundation, the North Carolina New Schools Project will offer a new science education program for North Carolina teachers.

The Modeling Biology Instruction program is an intensive 10-day summer program that will train teachers in new, more effective methods of teaching biology. Twenty teachers, reaching approximately 2,000 students, will be offered the opportunity to attend the program.

Biogen Idec Foundation's gift, announced late last month, is part of $125,000 awarded to three North Carolina science programs reaching more than 2,400 students. Additional gifts were made to the Contemporary Science Center and Boston University School of Medicine's CityLab in Bertie County.