SJRCC PRESS RELEASE June 2007 SJRCC dual enrollment means dual diplomas for local high school senior A counselor at St. Johns River Community College once described high school senior Chase Mason as a "plan A kid" because his determination and commitment toward his goals never left room for a plan B. It isn't often when a student will graduate from high school and college at the same time; however, Mason will receive his high school diploma from Palatka High School and his Associate in Arts degree from SJRCC in June - and there is more to Mason's plan A. The 17-year-old has been accepted into the University of Florida's Honors College as a junior where he will begin working this fall on his degree in integrative biology. Mason, also the high school's valedictorian, began working on his college credits in 2005 by taking advanced placement tests and dually enrolling in SJRCC college courses. According to SJRCC counselor Sally Myers, approximately two other students have attained this academic achievement in the past six years. "Chase has taken one of the most rigorous academic tracks available at SJRCC and will graduate from SJRCC and Palatka High with a 4.0 GPA," she said. Mason, an only-child, began taking gifted classes in elementary school with the support and encouragement from his mother, Tammy Mason. Mason credits his mother for his drive and competitive edge. "I've never really made backup plans," he said. "I knew if I planned for other options, I would allow myself to settle and not do what I really wanted," Mason said. "The head start my mom gave me was a real springboard for all my accomplishments," he said. Myers said she met Mason when he contacted her to review his academic plan. She said she was unaware of his maturity level until he arrived at her office armed with nine pages of material printed from the University of Florida's Web site. "He had done his homework and needed little assistance from me," Myers said. "After he left my office, I wondered how I could motivate some of the full-time college students to be as prepared as this high school student," she said. It was after that meeting that Myers tagged him the "plan A kid." SJRCC chemistry instructor John Parsons said that dual enrollment students tend to be some of his best students, and Mason was no exception. Parsons said what made Mason stand out was his work ethic. "He got it," Parsons said. "He understood what was expected of him and was willing to do the work. There was no hesitation about that," he said. Parsons said that the only regret he had was that Mason wasn't returning to SJRCC next semester. Along with Mason's impressive academic accomplishments, he has an extensive list of extracurricular activities and charity work. And though classes may be over for the summer, Mason will continue his educational journey when he joins his fellow classmates for a trip to Europe. Mason said he wants to open his eyes to the rest of the world. "I want to see for myself how different the world is; to be mindful that there are places and people different than we are." Mason said his passion for living things and the world around him has steered him toward integrative biology and subjects like oceanography, botany and research medicine. Mason said his environmental concerns are founded by the demands that are being placed on the earth and its questionable future. Ultimately, Mason wants to earn a doctorate degree and pursue a career in conservation with the Environmental Protection Agency or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "There is so much more going on around us than just people," he said. "The world can survive without us, but we canŐt survive without it." The dual enrollment program at SJRCC offers free college courses to qualified high school students. For more information on dual enrollment, call 312-4136. Return to SJRCC home page. Return to FloArts home page.