High school students in dual enrollment courses, like these students in healthcare courses, can benefit from $600,000 in funding that Calhoun Community College recently received. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Calhoun Community College has been awarded $600,000 in Education Trust Fund appropriations for tuition, fees and book scholarships for students enrolling in Calhoun’s dual enrollment courses in career technical fields.

The grant funding will go to support the continuation and expansion of Calhoun’s successful Career/Technical Dual Enrollment Scholarship program, Calhoun President Dr. James Klauber said. The money “will provide opportunities for students … especially those related to advanced manufacturing, computer science and health care,” Klauber said.

The proposal estimates that the grant funding will serve 500 students during the 2015-16 academic year.

“One of the more unique programs to be supported by the grant will be the continuation of Calhoun’s Dual Enrollment Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program on high school campuses,” Klauber said. Sparkman High School piloted the program.

The EMT program now has expanded to the campuses of Bob Jones, Grissom, Hazel Green, Huntsville, Austin and Decatur high schools. The League for Innovation in the Community College has recognized the program nationally, and the study was a finalist for a Bellwether Award, which recognizes innovation at community colleges.

“Since 2011, our career/technical dual enrollment has more than doubled,” Klauber said. “This grant award from the state will allow even more students from our service area to benefit from the training and educational opportunities through our Dual Enrollment program while providing the opportunity for these students to prepare for the workforce while still in high school.”

Currently, Calhoun has dual enrollment agreements with 93 area public and private high schools and home schools. Over the last year, the college has offered dual enrollment in 68 classrooms on 21 campuses and taught welding, cosmetology, CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and OSHA safety classes at the Decatur campus.

For more information, call Gwen Baker at 256-306-2665 or email to gzb@calhoun.edu.