Page 11 - New York Statewide Smart Scholars Overview and Profiles

Amsterdam High School ECHS students are recruited and selected in 8th grade by
administrators, guidance counselors and teachers who are all part of our program. Students
begin the program by taking English/history together in grades 9 through 10 with our teachers.
Their first college-level course experience on the campus at Fulton Montgomery Community
College comes during the summer of their 10th grade year. During 11th grade, the students take
one college course per semester at the college, as well as one, year-long, College in the High
School course (U.S. History). Additionally, a “College Preparedness Seminar” course has been
added to the 11th grade schedule this year; this class meets every other day. In 12th grade,
students take between 2-3 college courses per semester, in addition to any College in the High
School classes. Our program incorporates a General Studies focus, so as to maximize the
opportunity to transfer credits to other schools in the future.

Some Highlights of Amsterdam High School ECHS Program:
 AHS ECHS works closely with FMCC’s Liberty Partnership Program, which is located in

the high school. LPP offers a summer program each year at FMCC ECHS; here,
students are able to not only attend the offered enrichment courses through LPP, but
also to take up to one college course on the campus. At the end of each summer,
upperclassmen who attended the summer program have had the opportunity to attend
an all-expense paid trip to cities like Boston, Washington D.C., etc.
 To celebrate the success of our 2014 graduating cohort and their accomplishments, a
special banquet was held in honor of this first graduating cohort. The celebration was
held on the FMCC campus and all students were recognized with an engraved plaque.
Students also heard valuable words of advice and messages of congratulations from
NYSED and the college’s president, as well as AHS administration and staff members.
 To date, 6 students have been inducted into Fulton Montgomery Community College’s
honor society, Phi Theta Kappa for maintaining a 3.5 GPA.

(Above: Smart Scholars students seen in their classrooms, with their teachers, and at various events.)