Steady growth indicates a need for expansion, and for almost two years, officials have been working on plans to add science labs and more classroom space.
The Cameron Education Center opened in January 2000 as a partnership between Temple College and the Cameron community. Temple College provides the instructional program and Cameron provides the facility.
Housed in a former discount store building at 804 E. 1st St., the campus serves high school students and traditional college students as well as adults.
The growing dual-credit program, which allows academically qualified high school students to take courses for both high school and college credit, has been a significant factor in the growth of the facility.
The Cameron Education Center serves dual-credit students from Cameron, Buckholts, Rockdale, Rogers, Milano and Rosebud-Lott through an educational consortium. These students receive reduced tuition, and some districts pay the entire cost for one or more courses for the students. With the Middle College designation, students have the opportunity to earn from 30 to 60 college credit hours while in high school.
“Students love it, parents love it and it maximizes the educational opportunities available to students at a very affordable price,” Dr. Bicknell said.
In one year, enrollment has increased by 210 students. For 609 students the number of contact hours has reached 29,408.
The large enrollment increase this fall is a result of the recent Middle College designation for the Cameron Center, Bicknell said. Middle College status allows academically prepared high school students the opportunity to enroll in dual-credit classes. Without the Middle College designation, high school students were limited to a maximum of two courses per semester. Now many dual-credit students are taking 13 semester hours, rather than the normal six semester hours previously allowed.
Being designated as a Middle College provides students with a wider range of courses. For example, psychology, college algebra and speech are now being offered during the day, Bicknell said. Next fall, biology and music classes will be added. Night classes include U.S. history and community health. In the spring, American music will be offered for the first time.
The current facility has six classrooms, two computer labs and a math lab, but no science labs. For almost two years community leaders have been hard at work on plans to add two biology labs so that students can take much-needed lab science classes required as core classes for bachelor’s degrees and many health professions such as nursing.
Two additional classrooms as well as a book room and storage room also are on the drawing board.
Cameron Superintendent Rodney Fausett said more than 75 C.H. Yoe High School juniors and seniors currently are enrolled in dual-credit courses at the Cameron Education Center, with the district paying for six credit hours and textbooks. Fausett said the additional science courses provide a great educational opportunity for students.
The Cameron Economic Development Corp. has approved the $300,000 expansion project, which if approved by the Cameron City Council at a regular meeting Monday, will begin in January, said Ginger Watkins, Cameron’s economic development coordinator. The $300,000 project is paid for with revenue from Cameron’s Economic Development half-cent sales and use tax.
“I am really excited about the possibility of expanding the capabilities at the Cameron Education Center,” Mrs. Watkins said. “You have to expand your capabilities one step at a time in a community. Today the largest audience is high school students; however, we hope to attract more adults and young adults by expanding the capabilities of the campus. The benefit to the community is tremendous. It helps the whole program to be more powerful.”
jwilliams@temple-telegram.com
