College Course Signup For 'Smart Scholars' At Mount Vernon Schools

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Some smart cookies in Mount Vernon high schools will be headed to college before leaving high school.

The first cohort of the Mount Vernon "Smart Scholars" program began registering for free college courses this year. Students began the program in 2020 as ninth-graders, and as 11th-graders will be taking Advanced Placement courses and college courses. Registration was held at Mount Vernon High School, the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy and the Denzel Washington School of the Arts on Tuesday.

The Smart Scholar program is run in conjunction with Mercy College, and students can make progress toward their college degree by participating. 75 11th-grade students are enrolled, 25 at each high school. This year’s ninth-graders, the third cohort of Smart Scholars, began this year by going through the summer program.

Lillian Serret-Morales, the principal of the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy, said she was impressed by the resiliency of her school’s 25 Smart scholars, who completed a portion of the program online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Last year was the first year in person, and it was difficult," said Serret-Morales. "But they’re still all on track and continuing their regular courseload."

Mike Nash, assistant director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment at Mercy College, is the Mount Vernon City School District’s Smart Scholar admission contact. Others involved are Cecil Wright, Ed.D., Executive Director of Admissions at Mercy College, Anne Gilligan, Assistant Vice President of Admissions at Mercy College and the Mount Vernon City School District Office of School Improvement.

Each 11th-grade Smart Scholar is taking college courses in US History, pre-calculus, English and chemistry. Other course offerings include Spanish, physics and statistics.

The Mount Vernon school district is paying for the courses in full, so students can save even more money on college tuition. Additionally, students who decide to attend Mercy College will get an additional $1,000 off their tuition.

Taking these courses will prepare students for the workload of college courses and relieve some of the stresses that come with paying for and preparing for college.

The Mount Vernon City School District will hold a Zoom meeting for any parents interested in the Smart Scholar program in late October. Any middle school parents who are interested in enrolling a student in Smart Scholars, should contact their child’s school counselor.

About Mount Vernon City School District:
With more than 7,500 students in 16 schools, the Mount Vernon City School District is committed to providing a quality education to all children while developing programs that meet the diverse academic and social needs of its students. Find out more on their website.