Itineris Early College High School’s class of 2024 earned $7,434,500 in scholarship offers (not including some needs-based scholarships) which was more than $3 million more than any other graduating class in the school’s 20-year history. Of the 105 graduates, 75 received at least one scholarship offer, 49 received at least three, and 23 who received five or more.

IECHS instructor Rabecca Cisneros said the reason colleges and universities are offering IECHS students financial incentives to attend their school is because they are well-prepared, well-rounded students.

 “We teach them how to write, they have high ACT scores, and they do a lot in the community as far as service and extracurricular activities,” Cisneros said.

College-bound ninth through twelfth-graders fill their school schedules with concurrent enrollment college courses. Many earn an associates degree or college certificate of completion by the time they graduate high school.

And they don’t stop during the summer. One hundred students are taking concurrent enrollment college courses at IECHS summer school, which is for students who want to get ahead, not for those who are behind. 

Students can take college level English, communications and Psychology classes A pilot summer accelerated math program, funded by a grant from the Utah State Board of Education’s ULEAD program, is available to incoming freshmen who want to move through math courses more quickly.

“This course not only prevents summer slide, but will allow students to start Secondary Math III as sophomores, thus allowing them to access concurrent enrollment math in the summer between their tenth and eleventh grade year and progress through calculus, should they choose,” IECHS Director of Students Jeff Bossard said.

Incoming sophomore Serentha Murray said the math class moves quickly to fit a semester of work into just 10 weeks.

“We have homework every night, we have quizzes every day in class, and we only have four unit tests,” she said.

Murray plans to become a pediatrician, and is taking summer courses to get a headstart on the 11 years of college that career requires.

“I’m saving about two to three years and quite a lot of money,” she said.

To prepare for a heavy load of college courses,  IECHS students are first required to take an Introduction to Higher Education college course.

“Offering this course to ninth and tenth graders provides the students with an understanding of what higher ed is, how to think and learn like a college student, as well as how to read, write, and present like a higher level learner,” Bossard said. “Providing the class over the summer means that these students will be able to access core CE classes in their fall schedules, with the tools and skills necessary for successful college level work.”

Cisneros said the class sets students up for a successful academic career.

“Even if they applied half of what we discuss, they will be much more successful than a typical high school student,” she said. 

Pedro Santos said because he is taking the Intro class this summer, he feels more prepared for his college courses this fall.

“This class shows me how professors want to see your work—like, an essay, what should it look like,” he said.

Santos said he has also learned time management skills as he juggles his summer classes and a job. Cisneros said other benefits of summer school are developing social skills and staying productive during the summer months.  λ