A Poplar Bluff student has managed to complete her associate degree requirements before receiving her high school diploma, as a result of a partnership forged last school year with Three Rivers College.

During the community college commencement ceremony in May, Adrienne Burfield will join high school classmates Vicky Bottorff, Zachary Miller and Shallyn Ward, each of whom are participating in the College Now program. Also among this initial group are Riley Greenwall and Anslee Latourette, although their credits will only serve to lighten the load when they transfer to a university.

"All of them have been a pleasure to work with and I am excited to see where this path leads them," said Manda Reynolds, Three Rivers coordinator of academic and outreach services.

For high school students who meet the prerequisites, the College Now program is designed to allow them the option to knock off their 42-credit-hour general education requirement with the Poplar Bluff R-I School District and Three Rivers each covering one-third of the tuition costs, allowing parents the opportunity to save money.

Especially ambitious students can work with their high school guidance counselors and college academic advisers to enroll in additional classes around the semester in order to earn the final 20 credits toward their two-year degree.

"I've taken online classes, summer classes, winter classes, Maymester classes... Last semester I took 21 credits," explained Burfield, who is taking even more college courses this spring semester. "My nose has pretty much not left a book."

In December, Burfield, 18, was the first PBHS student to complete the dual credit program due to the flexibility of support staff at both educational institutions, her supportive parents and having been born with a rare degenerative condition of the eyes that has given her the drive to work extra hard at such a young age, she revealed.