The Washington County Regional Center of Kirkwood Community College is hosting an informational night for their College Credit in High School program next week.

The event will be held on Wednesday, January 28th, from 5 to 6 p.m, with a second date planned for Thursday, February 5th, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Students in eighth through 11th grades, along with their parents, can attend to receive information on the programs available through the Kirkwood Regional Center, its partner high schools, and online opportunities.

Tera Pickens, Director of Washington County Regional Center, says the goal for the younger students is typically to learn more about four-year planning to get ahead of their high school experience, while older students might be more interested in the specific programs offered in the 2026-2027 school year. Pickens stresses the importance of planning ahead, and then making changes as future career plans change, “The important thing is to consider these opportunities, understand your high school graduation requirements, understand how these Kirkwood classes are meeting high school graduation requirements. Are they meeting electives? Are they meeting cores? You know, that’s independent decisions of our school partners. And then pivoting that plan as your career interests might change.”

There are 10 different career academies that students can enroll in. Those range from hands-on experiences, such as construction or manufacturing, and more traditional lecture-styled courses, such as those that would fall into the arts and sciences. High school students enrolled in such courses earn both high school credit and college credit at the same time without the cost of tuition. 

Pickens says that anyone is welcome to show up and receive information. Both information nights will be held at the Kirkwood Washington County Regional Center in Washington. Preregistration is available but not required.