Two Bunker Hill Grads Receive Associate Degree and High School Diploma at Same Time

BUNKER HILL - Bunker Hill High School celebrated its Class of 2026 at a graduation ceremony on May 15, but for two graduates, the night was doubly important.

Grace Burris and Vivien Wilcox were among those who received their high school diplomas that night, but they also received their associate degrees from Lewis and Clark Community College.

"Both students also received our 'Academic Trailblazer' award, named after Lewis and Clark's mascot, which recognizes students who were the most ambitious in working toward their associate degrees," said Bunker Hill Superintendent Todd Dugan.

LC President Ken Trzaska was in attendance to personally award the two graduates.

"Seeing students graduate with both a high school diploma and a college degree is incredibly powerful," Trzaska said. "This partnership is about doing everything we can to open doors and remove barriers for students. We're thrilled to celebrate Grace and Vivien, and all students who are pushing themselves and succeeding through this program."

Burris didn't start high school with the ambitious goal in mind, but after her sophomore year she started to realize the possibility of fast-tracking her degree and decided to lock in.

"I did a lot of dual credit," she said. "I took almost every dual credit offering available at Bunker Hill and took AP classes too - although those weren't as helpful."

She also took advantage of the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), which allowed her to test out of several courses, including English, and earn college credit that way.

Additionally, Bunker Hill's Power of 15 program allowed her to take concurrent enrollment courses - full college credit, either online or on Lewis and Clark's campus - on the school district's dime. The program covers tuition for qualifying students, up to 15 credit hours total, over the course of their junior and senior years. Students and their families cover fees and supplies.

Burris said most of her dual credit courses at Bunker Hill High School were mostly general education credits like history, college algebra and trigonometry. Through the Power of 15, she took additional general education courses, as well as courses related to her intended Nursing major, including Medical Terminology and Organic Chemistry.

"All of my teachers were supportive and willing to work with me," she said of her experience at Lewis and Clark. "Everyone was super nice. No one cared that I was still in high school, and I made a lot of good friends that I still keep in touch with."

She took summer courses on the college's N.O. Nelson Campus in Edwardsville the summer between her sophomore and junior years in high school. During her junior and senior years, she took classes on the Godfrey Campus. By the last semester of her senior year, she was attending Lewis and Clark full-time but driving back to Bunker Hill to continue participating in high school sports.

Burris earned her Associate in Science degree, and Wilcox earned her Associate in Arts degree. Both are transfer degrees that will allow them to transfer seamlessly to the universities of their choice with upperclass standing, helping them save time as well as thousands of dollars on tuition and fees (www.lc.edu/save).

They are the first Power of 15 students to graduate with their associate degrees, but likely won't be the last. Dugan said the Bunker Hill School Board would like to see more students leaving the high school with both a diploma and a degree.

"Universities are expensive," said Dugan, who is a father and overall supporter of higher education. "Through this program and our partnership with Lewis and Clark, students can get halfway to their bachelor's degree with no debt."

Last semester, Burris had the opportunity to speak about how the Power of 15, plus her access to career and technical education courses in high school, have been a recipe for her success at a statewide conference for the Association for Illinois Rural and Small Schools.

She was able to network with high school principals and superintendents from across the state and meet other students benefiting from post-secondary training offerings in high school. Some were not college-bound, like her, but had direct admission agreements with their local trade unions, she said.

The conference was held in Decatur, where she plans to attend Millikin University in the fall in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in Nursing. She also plans to play softball for the Big Blue.

"I tell everyone to take advantage of this program," Burris said. "I think some people are scared, and it is a lot of responsibility, but the payoff is worth the effort."