Early College Partnership with Fisher is one of several paths to earn free credits
Every Monday and Wednesday, a bus pulls up beside East Boston High School (EBHS), waiting for nearly 40 students to board. Next stop: Fisher College on Beacon Street.
The opportunity to attend and earn college credits while in high school was recently awarded to East Boston High School (EBHS).
Called “Jet to College,” the program is the culmination of a rigorous two-year application for the coveted Early College designation, which was granted to EBHS last spring by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The partnership with Fisher College is one of only a handful across the state that pairs a public high school with a private college for Early College programming.
“Jet to College” allows participating juniors and seniors to pursue a new and innovative academic path by attending high school and college simultaneously at no charge to them. By the time the first cohort of 19 students graduates in June of 2025, they will not only earn a high school diploma, but also at least 12 transferable college credits from Fisher, free of charge. The program must take place during regular school hours, which differentiates it from other college awareness programs.
“We are incredibly proud of our Early College team and the first two student cohorts,”said East Boston High School’s Headmaster, Philip Brangiforte. “They worked incredibly hard every day to keep up with all of their high school and college assignments and are setting the tone for the future success of the program.”
The sentiment is echoed by Fisher College administrators. “Our long-term commitment to Boston Public Schools highlights our institutional objective to empower young learners across the city,” states Fisher College President, Steven Rich. “By participating in our Dual Enrollment, Summer College 101, and Early College programs, students are not just gaining college credits, they are laying a strong foundation for their futures and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
Dr. Janet Kuser, Fisher’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, adds, “We are excited to partner with East Boston High School through our Early College Program, which allows students to earn college credits at no cost while still in high school. This opportunity not only boosts their resumes but also provides invaluable college experience, enabling them to hit the ground running both academically and financially.”
The primary goal of Jet to College is to engage students who may not have initially viewed themselves in a higher education setting, or who may have felt attaining a degree was out of reach. A secondary objective is to ensure students gradually feel comfortable on a college campus. With support at Eastie and Fisher – including tutoring, support classes, and team-building activities – students gain a meaningful and successful college experience.
The program’s structure includes a series of sequential courses that occur during the regular school day, but are held on the Fisher campus. All 11th-grade participants take English 101 in the first semester, and Math 107 in the second semester, earning six college credits. In 12th grade, students continue in a series of entry-level courses offered in a number of academic areas, including sociology, psychology, and accounting. These classes fulfill remaining high school requirements while accruing college credits.
Additional credit opportunities are available through dual enrollment courses that can be scheduled outside of school hours, such as afternoons or evenings. As a result, EBHS seniors can have nearly a full semester of college credits completed by the time they begin their freshman year.
“My experience in the program is amazing!” said Omaima Laajou, an EBHS senior. This is her second year in the Jet to College program. “What makes this more great is the support staff because they give the opportunity to ask for help. They are on our side.”
Ashley Santos, also a senior in her second year, agreed. “It felt a little different from high school, and overall, I loved being pushed to my limit. Now I have new knowledge of things that actually inspire and interest me. It was challenging but over time, I was considered one of the top students in my financial accounting course.” Santos was accepted to Fisher and hopes to attend next September.
Kevin Madrid said the program was a great experience. “This program…pushed me to stay focused, it gave me the chance to take on new challenges, learn at a higher level and it helped me discover my passion and trust that I can accomplish hard tasks.
“As an ESL student, as a migrant, and especially as a teenager who is always advocating and shaping his future; my advice for those like me is to seek for success. I know life is hard, and sometimes you do not even want to study but stay focused on your goals, be brave and show that resilient sense that shines inside yourself. Taking advantage of this opportunity helped me to be prepared and not stress out about the next step; College. This was an opportunity to make my family members proud of me and change the course of my life because it opened up the doors to a shiny future,” Madrid explained.
“Jet to College is an incredible chance for students to expose themselves to the rigors of college and still have a nurturing high school environment,” says Early College and Dual Enrollment teacher, Chris Leone. “They face the challenges of college-level classes with added support, and they are learning how to be independent, and manage their time.”
The Early College program is not the only path to college experience: all juniors and seniors have the chance to earn college credit at one of several partner schools, including Fisher, Bunker Hill Community College, Suffolk University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Currently, 80 students participate in similar credit-earning opportunities at EBHS.
The Jet to College program is expanding, with recruitment now underway for the 2025 cohort. All sophomores are invited to apply, though only 44 seats are available. East Boston High School students in grade 10 can stop into the Early College Center, Room 131, in the high school. Parents and guardians can call 617.635.9896, ext. 30316 for more information.
The following students take part in the Jet to College Early College program:
Grade 11:
Finnigan Baum
Darcy Betancur Vanegas
Amy Bonilla Guzman
Carolina Cedano
Vincent Do
Thomas Escobar Zambrano
Sebastian Garcia
Sebastian Gaviria
Stephen Gonzalez Bermudez
Dayanara Hernandez Cabrera
Analy Jaramillo Villa
Sibhelly Miranda Lopes
Jordan Lopez Gomes
Gabriela Luna
Melissa Martinez
Mairead McCrary
Rafaela Noriega Gonzalez
Isabella Quiroz Munoz
Jeelkumar Patel
Emmanuel Preciado Jimenez
Valeria Vergara Gil
Santiago Vergara Mora
Genesis Zapata Chavarria
Seniors:
Estephany De Lima Leite
Yuliana Garcia
Briana Gomez Montano
Jaqueline Hernandez Garcia
Diego Jorge
Omaima Laaouj
Kevin Madrid
Isabella Medina
Angelica Mejia Marinez
Julieanne Rameriz
Alexa Ramos
Ashley Santos Lemus
Silvana Suarez Mejia
Maia Tabares Vanegas
Isabella Toro Cadavid
Sofia Villatoro
Madelina Vivas Villanueva
Stacy Vilorio
