MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt County High School has received the College Success Award, a first-of-its-kind honor celebrating schools that excel in ensuring students prepare for college, enroll in college, and succeed once they get there.

Launched by GreatSchools, the leading non-profit provider of trusted school information, the College Success Award recognizes 814 schools in nine states, including 97 schools in Georgia. Award-winning schools have a successful track record of graduating students who later enroll in a two or four-year college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year, according to available data from the state, according to a press release from the Colquitt County Schools. Visit GreatSchools’ website at https://www.greatschools.org/gk/csa-winners/.

College and career-ready graduates are critical to fueling the U.S. economy, as 65 percent of jobs will require a post-secondary degree by 2020, the Colquitt County School System said. Colquitt County High School prepares students not only to enroll in college but also to succeed once they get there.

“The Colquitt County High School motto is ‘The Packer Destination is Graduation and Beyond,’” said Principal Stephanie Terrell. “I remind students of this during each morning’s announcements because I want to keep post-secondary success in the forefront of our students’ minds on a daily basis.”

CCHS has adopted practices to support their students’ college preparation and success, the school system said. These include rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors course offerings, dual-enrollment options for academics and career exploration, three world language options, online and blended learning opportunities, community wide awareness of AP programs through yard signs of parents of students who receive a 5 on an AP exam, and celebrating academic achievement through “Packer Pride Walls” in every academic hallway.  

The College Success Award is possible, the press release said, because Georgia is leading the nation in collecting and being transparent in sharing information on how students do after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.

“Unlike traditional measures of school quality — which only measure student performance while still in high school — post-secondary data shines a light on schools that excel in helping students succeed beyond graduation,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods. “We’re proud that Georgia is leading the way in giving the public the information they deserve to know and schools the recognition they deserve for helping their students succeed in college and beyond.”

Matthew Nelson, president of GreatSchools, praised Colquitt County High.

“CCHS is providing their students with a high-quality public education that equips and empowers them with the skills to forge a path to bright futures,” Nelson said. “We applaud students, parents, teachers, and the entire community at Colquitt County High School for their dedication to pursuing college success.”