Claremont High School student completes two college degrees before her senior year

By Laura J. Bollinger, Citrus College Governing Board Member

As Claremont's representative on the Citrus Community College Board of Trustees, I have the privilege of meeting fantastic college students, and I recently met a young scholar from Claremont who blew me away.

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Zaira Amara recently began her senior year at Claremont High School with something most people don't earn until years later: two college degrees. At 17, she is an outstanding example of how high school students can access free Citrus College classes and earn associate degrees while still making the most of their high school years.

Zaira worked independently as a concurrently enrolled student, which allowed her to earn college credit in addition to attending high school. Claremont High School students also have the option of taking dual enrollment classes, which they may take as a group in classrooms on their campus.

Zaira's journey began in 2023, when a fellow Claremont High School student told her about taking American Sign Language at Citrus College. Zaira enjoyed her first few Citrus College classes and decided to pursue a degree online.

She used the DegreeWorks academic planning tool to take ownership of her college education, map out her degree requirements and determine her courses.

"At first, it said I had only 10 percent of my degree completed. I don't like to see things empty like that," she said. "I became determined to fill up my transcript and see how far I could go."

Taking three online college classes each semester while also attending high school, Zaira ultimately earned an Associate of Arts in Social Sciences and an Associate of Arts for Transfer in Social Justice. She graduated from Citrus College in June 2026.

"The Citrus College commencement ceremony didn't even feel real," she said. "This was my first graduation ceremony, but it was only my second time visiting the campus."

While earning two college degrees at 17 is a remarkable accomplishment, what makes Zaira's achievement even more impressive is everything she managed to accomplish alongside her studies. In addition to her college coursework, she participated in several extracurricular activities, took advanced placement classes and worked two jobs while pursuing her goals.

"I did color guard at Claremont High School for three years, and I'm also on Link Crew. I serve as the president of social events, which means I create events and manage the budget," she said. "I also do random stuff around campus, like hosting Battle of the Bands. It is a big workload."

In fact, I recently had the opportunity to volunteer alongside Zaira at one of Claremont's Summer Concert Series shows. She is a member of Claremont High School's Key Club, while I am a member of the Kiwanis Club of Claremont. Together, we helped at the snack bar, making the experience especially meaningful to me.

Zaira also joined the Citrus College Black Scholars program, a campus initiative designed to promote Black excellence and academic success. Although her high school schedule made it difficult to attend events in person, she participated virtually when possible.

As she prepares for high school graduation and considers what comes next, Zaira says she is happy she took this unique path.

"I will be able to leave high school and not have to worry as much about money because I already have a bunch of college credits done. It also improves my chances for scholarships," she said.

She is still deciding whether her future will include a career in politics or business. However, one thing is certain: "I know that I have a calling to do something big in the world," she says. "If I just push, I can make a positive change. And that's exactly what I want to do."

Zaira's remarkable journey is so inspiring, and I hope it demonstrates that Citrus College is accessible and welcoming to scholars of all ages.

Citrus College offers a rigorous college education, and it's free for high school students! As your community college, we hope to see more Owls fly from Claremont to our beautiful campus in Glendora. Please reach out to our team in the Welcome Center (citruscollege.edu/welcomecenter) if you would like to learn more.