2026 Early College Summit: Full Schedule

RTI International will host the 2026 Early College Summit on June 9–10, 2026 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC. This two-day event for early college leaders and program teams will focus on research-based early college and dual enrollment strategies to improve practice and support student success in rigorous learning environments. The Summit is designed so that veteran and new early college practitioners and college partners can collaborate to learn and share expertise to improve learning and student outcomes. Join us as we strengthen our capabilities to empower learners for future ready success!

10:45am EDT

From Potential to Pathways: Redefining student success at WAAT

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 3B

How can schools better prepare students for life beyond graduation? In this session, participants will explore Wilson Academy of Applied Technology's (WAAT) innovative pathway-driven learning model designed to address common challenges such as career uncertainty, skill gaps, and limited real-world exposure.

Attendees will learn how WAAT integrates personalized learning tracks, student voice and choice, and real-world experiences into the school day. The session will highlight how pathways connect students’ interests to academic coursework, skill development, and future college and career opportunities.

Participants will also examine the role of educators as mentors and industry connectors, explore strategies for measuring student success beyond traditional metrics, and consider how this model can be adapted and scaled across diverse school settings. Through an interactive activity, attendees will apply the pathway framework to real student profiles, gaining practical insights for implementation in their own contexts.

Presenters

Makenzie Webb

Student Presenter, Wilson Academy of Applied Technology

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 3B

Student Supports

10:45am EDT

From the Ground Up: Reinventing Early College for Sustainable Success

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 3C

Early College programs are often born out of bold vision—but sustaining that vision, revamping a struggling program, or restarting one that has lost momentum requires intentional leadership, strategic culture-building, and collective ownership from both administrators and teachers.From the Ground Up explores what it truly takes to build, rebuild, or reinvent an Early College program. Drawing on real-world experiences from program launch, redesign, and renewal, this session will walk participants through the foundational work that must happen when a program is starting fresh—or starting over. Attendees will examine how clarity of purpose, aligned systems, and strong relationships can transform an Early College from a collection of good intentions into a thriving, student-centered model.Participants will leave with practical strategies principals and teachers can use immediately to stabilize, strengthen, and sustain Early College programs—whether they are opening their doors for the first time or reimagining what success should look like moving forward.

Presenters

Dr. Kim McMinn

Director, Polk County Early College

Dr. Kim McMinn is the Director of Polk County Early College, where she brings a career-long commitment to student success, instructional excellence, and innovative school leadership. She holds a doctorate in education, with advanced training in educational leadership, school improvement... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 3C

Student Supports

global Y

10:45am EDT

It’s Not Just One More Thing – It’s EVERYTHING: Aligning Connections, MTSS, and Personal Adult Advocacy to Support Every Early College Student

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 1B

Early Colleges offer both a powerful opportunity and a complex challenge: ensuring every student is truly known, supported, and monitored across four years and multiple college pathways. At Challenger, we meet this challenge through a cohesive support system that intentionally aligns our Connections seminar course, MTSS, and Personal Adult Advocate (PAA) model. Connections is a credit-bearing course taken every semester, designed with a tiered curriculum that builds college-ready and life-ready skills while monitoring academic and social-emotional growth. Each student is paired with a Personal Adult Advocate from before ninth grade through graduation, creating continuity, mentorship, and proactive intervention. This session explores how this integrated model strengthens equity, reduces fragmentation, and ensures no student slips through the cracks.

Presenters

Jessica Guyer

Student Success Coordinator, Challenger ECHS

Jess Guyer is an alumni of Challenger Early College HS’s first entering and graduating class where she returned a few years later as an English teacher. She has since earned her Master of Arts in Executive Leadership and her National Board Certification. She has recently made the... Read More →

Catie Kale

Lead Counselor, Challenger Early College High School

I have served as a school counselor at Challenger Early College High School since 2018 and bring 17 years of experience in school counseling, including seven years working directly with early college students. While I enjoy working with students at all grade levels, I specialize in... Read More →

Grace Ann Sevier

Assistant Principal, Challenger Early College High School

I have dedicated 24 years to public education within the Catawba County and Iredell-Statesville School Systems, serving students, families, and educators through a variety of leadership and support roles. My professional experience includes two years as an elementary school counselor... Read More →

Dr. Rene Spry

Principal, Challenger Early College High School

This is my third year at Challenger Early College High School, where I am proud to serve as principal and continue my commitment to student achievement and whole-child education. I have 29 years of experience in public education, serving as a teacher and school leader, grounded in... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 1B

Student Supports

global Y

10:45am EDT

Strengthening Comprehensive School Counseling Through Collaborative Planning in Early/Middle College Programs

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 3A

This session demonstrates how Early/Middle College counselors from three campuses established a structured collaborative model to strengthen their Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCPs). Participants will learn strategies for planning annual counseling goals, aligning programming to student needs, streamlining graduation audits, and developing shared tools, calendars, and procedures across school sites. Through interactive work sessions, counselors will explore methods for increasing program efficiency, building shared understanding, and ensuring consistent student support in specialized early college environments. This session demonstrates how Early/Middle College counselors from three campuses established a structured collaborative model to strengthen their Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCPs). Participants will learn strategies for planning annual counseling goals, aligning programming to student needs, streamlining graduation audits, and developing shared tools, calendars, and procedures across school sites. Through interactive work sessions, counselors will explore methods for increasing program efficiency, building shared understanding, and ensuring consistent student support in specialized early college environments.

Presenters

Stephanie Preston

School Counselor, Middle College at GTCC - High Point

LaShana Richards

School Counselor, A&T Four Middle College

Nicole Webster

School Counselor, Early College at Guilford

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 3A

Student Supports

global Y

1:00pm EDT

From Early College to Long-Term Success: What Students Wish Educators Knew About the Transition to College

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 1B

Early college programs expand access to higher education, but what happens after students graduate or go to a higher education institution? This interactive session invites educators and leaders to explore the academic, social, and institutional challenges early college graduates encounter during the transition to four-year institutions and career pathways. Through collaborative mapping, case analysis, and design-thinking activities, participants will identify gaps in current support structures and develop actionable strategies to strengthen postsecondary persistence. Attendees will leave with practical tools and a concrete next step to ensure early college success extends beyond graduation and truly prepares students to be future-ready.

Presenters

Britney Funez-Hernandez

Student, Stanford University

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 1B

Student Supports

global Y

8:30am EDT

Building the Bridge: Strategies for Early College Student Success from Application to Enrollment at a 4-Year University

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Salem 1A

Navigating the transition from high school to a university presents unique challenges and opportunities for Early College students. During this session, leadership from UNC Charlotte’s Admissions office and Transfer Center, will provide their insight from reviewing these applicants through the admissions process and advising them as they enter with large amounts of college credit. This session will provide you with the transition challenges we've noticed and identify resources that will build a bridge from high school to Early College student success at a 4-year university.

Presenters

Jessica Young

Senior Associate Director, University Transfer Center, UNC Charlotte

Kaitlyn Kubacki

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Salem 1A

Student Supports

8:30am EDT

From First Hello to Final Goodbye: Building Student Belonging That Sticks

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Winston 3C

Belonging changes everything. When students feel known, valued, and connected, they show up differently, and so does their learning. This session invites educators to reimagine how schools intentionally create a sense of belonging that begins before students ever arrive and grows stronger with each passing year. Participants will explore meaningful ways to welcome students, build shared traditions, and design experiences that connect students across grade levels and milestones. With a focus on purpose and continuity, this session offers inspiration and practical strategies to build systems where every student feels they truly belong from their first day to graduation and beyond.

Presenters

Vance Fishback

Principal, Cabarrus Early College of Technology

Vance Fishback is a veteran educational leader with more than 30 years of experience in public education with a strong background in Early College High School design, launch, and leadership. He has served the last 10 years as the Founding Principal of the Cabarrus Early College o... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Winston 3C

Student Supports

8:30am EDT

Supporting College Readiness from the Inside-Out with Schoolwide Mindfulness-based Programming

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Winston 3A

This session will enable participants to identify how mindfulness-based SEL programming may promote student success, including college readiness, when utilized in an intentional and systematic way. We will introduce the Mindful Educator framework that strengthens social-emotional capacities in a parallel process with staff and students and that builds connection and belonging within the ECHS context. Implementation lessons will be shared from the Be CALM program, which is being delivered in ECHSs across NC and is showing positive impact on both teachers and students. Participants will collaborate with peers to apply this framework to their school goals and needs.

Presenters

Desiree W. Murray

Senior Reserach Scientist, UNC-Chapel Hill

Beverly Rudolph

Be CALM Trainer and Educational Consultant, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, UNC Chapel Hill

I started my teaching career way back in 1989 as a middle school language arts teacher in Tarboro, NC. Along the way, I taught in Buncombe and Cabarrus Counties before moving into school administration in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools for 17 years. I retired with 25 years... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Winston 3A

Student Supports

8:30am EDT

The Role of Financial Education in Student Success

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Salem 3B

Financial well-being is a critical component of student success, yet many students navigate college without the knowledge or tools to make informed financial decisions that can shape their future. This session will explore why financial education matters and how early college leaders can play a role in closing that gap. We’ll review the value of a strong financial education program that offers both a platform and thoughtful curriculum and how it can make a meaningful difference for students. Key areas will include foundational concepts, saving and budgeting, credit and debit, and specialized planning tools that support students throughout their financial journey. Attendees will gain a closer look at Truliant’s financial education program and platform, Money Bright, as a practical example in action.

Presenters

Charmiya Elliott

Sponsor, Truliant Federal Credit Union

Wednesday June 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Salem 3B

Student Supports

9:45am EDT

Building a Functional Cross Institution Student Support Team

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT

Salem 3A

During this collaborative workshop, participants will explore the systems of support across partner institutions, mapping their networks and intentionally structuring problem-solving teams that include college and high school partners. Session leaders will bring their experiences as both a long-standing member of the early college team and a new early college principal, providing unique insight into what works along with opportunities to identify and overcome barriers to collaborative approaches for student success. Session attendees should bring a student support challenge they are currently facing to analyze with a small group. While we welcome individuals, please come with your team if possible.

Presenters

April Burko

Principal, Chatham Early College

Dr. April Burko is an educator with 15 years of experience spanning classroom instruction and school leadership, including roles as a high school social studies teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and middle and high school principal. She currently serves as the principal... Read More →

Fae Grace Goodman

Early College Liaison/Instructor, Anthropology, Central Carolina Community College/Chatham Early College

Fae Grace Goodman holds a split position at Central Carolina Community College, where she is the Early College Liaison for Chatham Early College, and an anthropology instructor. She has been with CEC since its students began taking college courses, serving as their college liaison... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT
Salem 3A

Student Supports

global Y

9:45am EDT

From Access to Belonging: Equity-Centered Student Supports in Early College

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT

Winston 3B

Early College opens doors for students long pushed to the margins, but access alone doesn’t guarantee belonging or success. In this collaborative workshop, participants examine how advising, mentoring, family communication, academic monitoring, and behind-the-scenes coordination can either reproduce inequities or interrupt them. Using examples across different Early College sites, we focus on identifying where programs “shake,” the pressure points where hidden expectations hit hardest, and followthrough depends too much on one person. Participants leave with a practical toolkit: a Support Check, a Student Supports Map, and an Action Plan to strengthen shared structures and consistent support across contexts.

Presenters

Carolina Rojas

Assistant Director of Dual Enrollment & Early College at Chelsea High School, Bunker Hill Community College

Steve Prudent

Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT
Winston 3B

Student Supports

12:40pm EDT

Beyond Dual Credit: Engaging Students Through Culture, Support and Rigor

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT

Salem 1C

This session will share several of the core principles of the Early College model that address instructional practices for dual credit instructors as well as examples of student support that allow for the critical thinking required in those dual credit courses. The supports in these dual credit courses encourage the higher level thinking of metacognition while giving them students agency in their own learning. The session will also reference the book The Disengaged Teen by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, which addresses the crisis that “one of three students is highly engaged in school” (U.S. Census).

Presenters

Steve Combs

Director of Early College, CELL

Steve Combs serves as the Director of Early College at CELL, impacting Indiana schools through the Early College High School initiative. He came to CELL with 27 years of experience in secondary education. Steve began his career as a high school social studies teacher and varsity boys... Read More →

Krista Hensley

EC Coordinator, Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT
Salem 1C

Student Supports

12:40pm EDT

More Than Good Intentions: Building an ASCA-Aligned Early College Counseling Program

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT

Winston 3A

Early college counselors work at the intersection of secondary and postsecondary education, providing comprehensive supports that address students’ academic, career, and social/emotional development. This session highlights how one early college counseling program identified, aligned, and strengthened its existing practices to earn RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) recognition through the American School Counselor Association. Attendees will gain insight into practical structures, challenges, and lessons learned, leaving with ideas to better articulate and strengthen their own early college counseling programs.

Presenters

Stacey Diaz

Counselor, Cabarrus Early College of Technology

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT
Winston 3A

Student Supports

12:40pm EDT

Starting Early, Succeeding in College: Student Voices from a Middle School Early College Pathway

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT

Winston 3B

Early College programs often focus on structures and outcomes—but less often center the voices of students who experience them. This panel elevates student perspectives from the Dearborn Early College Kickoff (DECK), a middle school–launched pathway that prepares students for full-time Early College enrollment. Students from DECK’s first cohort, now earning college credit in high school, will share how early academic acceleration, clear expectations, family engagement, and a paid learn-and-earn model shaped their readiness, confidence, and success. The session pairs student voice with outcome data to illustrate the impact of starting Early College preparation earlier.

Presenters

Jay Pedrero

Early College Manager, Dearborn STEM Academy/Boston Plan for Excellence

Jay Pedrero is the Early College Manager and Director of the Dearborn Early College Kickoff (DECK) program at Dearborn STEM Academy, where he has served for the past four years. In his role, Jay provides direct, individualized support to students enrolled in Early College, helping them succe... Read More →

Teddy Walker

Early College Liaison, Dearborn STEM Academy/Boston Plan for Excellence

Teddy Walker is an Early College Liaison at Dearborn STEM Academy and has been a vital member of the Early College team for the past three years. In his role, Teddy works directly in classrooms alongside college professors and students, serving as a key bridge between high school and college expe... Read More →

Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT
Winston 3B

Student Supports