The transition from high school to college can be difficult.  For nine Greater Johnstown High School seniors the big change happened when they were in the 9th grade.

“When I first walked into Penn Highlands in 9th grade, I was very nervous,” says Brennen Stiffler.  “I was like “woah” this is what college looks like!  I’m still a 9th grader.”

“It was very scary because back then we were really small,” senior Jaelan Haselrig explains.

They are the first round of students at Greater Johnstown to complete their associate degree as they graduate high school.

“We had to act like the other college students.  We couldn’t act like high school students.  We couldn’t be loud,” Samira Fisher says.

Acting like college students meant double the workload.

“At first a lot of people took it, but not a lot of people could get through the classes and the people that stuck with it were really glad they did,” Fisher adds.

The degree is in general studies.  It allows students like Stiffler, who is considering a double major, to complete college in four years and save money.

“It would be a lot higher if I didn’t take the Penn Highlands courses, which the school graciously covered beside supplies,” Stiffler tells us.

As they were bused to Penn Highlands several days a week for the program, the students say it gave their small group time to bond over the years and it’s giving them a head start as they say goodbye to high school.

“My degree is going to stick with me for the rest of my life.  It’s permanent and I’m really happy about that,” Haselrig says.

Congratulations to the nine students who are graduating with this degree from Greater Johnstown High School.  The students are LesPaul Buchko, Samira Fisher, Emmaleigh Gress, Jaelan Haselrig, Madison Mckee, Olivia Oravec, Joseph Pannone, Saige Runyan, and Brennen Stiffler.