Six local students were recognized this month for completing their online two-year course work at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM). The NCSSM Online Program recognized 156 students from 52 counties across North Carolina.
The students from Pinecrest High school, Emory Bradley, Maya DiFrischia, Zach Furie, Olivia Longfellow and Katherine Streahle, and Delaney Hegeman of Union Pines High School, were nominated for, applied to and were accepted to the highly competitive NCSSM Online Program in 2017 as Juniors.
Each student took four – six NCSSM classes over the two years, in addition to their already rigorous home high school course load and extracurriculars.
“I chose to take the NCSSM Online program, so I could be a part of a community with people who share similar academic goals and attitudes as myself,” explained Longfellow, “The program completely changed my initial interests and truly created an impact on my future plans.”
The online classes consisted of weekly webinars with an NCSSM teacher, homework, group projects and exams, just like regular classes.
The classes also often required weekend class projects that took place at the NCSSS campus in Durham. The classes spanned STEM classes such as Computational Science and Humanities classes such as Introduction to Western Political Thought.
NCSSM is known for its residential program but launched its online program 10 years ago in order to offer the school’s rigorous course work to a larger number of students. During the recognition ceremony, the NCSSM online students were described as motivated, self-directed, striving for excellence and eager to accept the greater challenge.
Pinecrest student Emory Bradley received her Certificate of Completion from NCSSM after taking Climate Change Biology, International Relations, AP Macroeconomics, and 21st Century Media Studies.
Bradley will be attending Oberlin College and Conservatory in the fall and is planning to major in Sociology with a Minor in Musical Studies. She hope to work for the State Department after college.
Pinecrest student Maya Difrischia received her Certificate of Completion from NCSSM after taking Forensics, International Relations, Biomedical Engineering, and Forensic Anthropology.
DiFrischia will be attending Bryn Mawr College in the fall with an intended major in Physics and plans for medical school.
Pinecrest student Zach Furie received his Certificate of Completion from NCSSM after taking International Relations, Computational Science, Epidemiology, and Introduction to Western Political Thought.
Furie will be attending Duke University in the fall with a dual focus on Computer Science and Humanities.
Union Pines student Delaney Hegeman, originally from Lee County High School, was dual-enrolled at NCSSM with a concentration in Human Health and Life Science. Hegeman was also dual-enrolled at Sandhills Community College through the Sandhills Promise Program while taking her regular high school classes and the NCSSM online classes.
She will complete her Associates degree in Nursing from SCC and then attend the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to receive a Bachelors degree in Nursing to become a Nurse Practitioner and then complete a Masters degree to become a Midwife.
Pinecrest student Olivia Longfellow received her Certificate of Completion after taking Honors Introduction to Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Microeconomics, and Honors Eco-critisism: Literature and Humanism.
Longfellow will be attending the University of California at Los Angeles in the fall and majoring in computer science. She will be serving in the Navy after UCLA and hopes to be a part of a cyber-related force in support of national security.
Pinecrest student Kathryn Streahle was dual-enrolled at NCSSM with a concentration in Human Health and Life Science. Streahle took six classes at NCSSM including Molecular Genetics, Epidemiology, Organic Chemistry, Micro Economics, Macro Economics, and Agricultural Biotechnology Solutions.
She will be attending Belmont College in the fall and is planning to double major in Biology and Early Childhood Education.
For more information on the NCSSM Online or Residential Program, contact your high school guidance counselor, and/or visit the NCSSM website at www.ncssm.edu
Courtesy photo: The 2019 NCSSM Online Program Graduates from across North Carolina.
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