ECHS Symposium

QPS, Quincy College Host 2nd Annual ECHS Pathway Symposium
Posted on 02/10/2023
Janai Johnson addresses the group from a podium. On the front of the podium hangs a sign that reads "Quincy's Early College High School Pathway 2nd Annual Symposium. Excellence. Community. Honor. Self-Advocacy. Next to Ms. Johnson is a poster that reads "College begins here."

Another day, another awesome event! Today, over 200 students gathered with QPS staff, partners, and community and state officials for Quincy’s Early College High School (ECHS) Pathway 2nd Annual Symposium. The ECHS Pathway is a cohort-based program offered with our partner, Quincy College, that provides eligible 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade QPS students the opportunity to earn college credit and set their post-secondary plans before they graduate from high school. In addition to their coursework, ECHS students receive academic and non-academic support opportunities focused on post-secondary success.

We are incredibly fortunate to offer this opportunity to our students with the support of our partners, Quincy College, State Street Foundation, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We also thank RTI International for supporting the program and today's event!

We welcomed many special guests today, including Mayor Koch; House Speaker Mariano; Katherine Craven, Chair of the MA Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, MA Secretary of Education; and Erika Giampietro, Executive Director of MA4EC; and Richard DeCristofaro, Ed.D., President of Quincy College. Our guests celebrated the success of the Quincy Early College program and commended our 204 enrolled students for recognizing the opportunity in front of them and modeling success for future ECHS students!

We applaud all of our ECHS staff and students and especially thank Janai Johnson (QHS, ‘23) for emceeing today’s event and Cassidy Plante (NQHS, ‘23) for speaking about her ECHS experience.

Image collage shows (clockwise, from top left): Three students bend over a table on which is scattered strips of paper with various career opportunities and choices written on them;10 students sit in a row, listening to a speaker (off-camera) at the front of the room; Cassidy Plante addresses the group from a podium. On the front of the podium hangs a sign that reads "Quincy's Early College High School Pathway 2nd Annual Symposium. Excellence. Community. Honor. Self-Advocacy. Next to Ms. Plante is a poster that reads "College begins here;" Two teachers sit at a table working on a professional development exercise. In front of them is a large posterboard with some illegible notes written on it. Both are creating models with play-doh as part of the exercise; A teacher moderates a panel discussion in a hotel conference room. Four panelists sit at a table in the front of the room; three rows of high school students face them for the discussion; 5 students stand around a table on which many paper materials on strewn. A workshop moderator stands amid the group explaining the exercise's instructions; MA House Speaker Mariano addresses the group from a podium. On the front of the podium hangs a sign that reads "Quincy's Early College High School Pathway 2nd Annual Symposium. Excellence. Community. Honor. Self-Advocacy. Next to Rep. Mariano is a poster that reads "College begins here."