DEARBORN
— Henry Ford Early College (HFEC) – a
collaboration between Henry Ford College (HFC), Dearborn Public Schools and the
Henry Ford Health Systems (HFHS) – earned a rank of 124th out of the
top 500 schools in Newsweek America’s Top High Schools list for 2015.

In addition, the HFEC is
ranked 4th in the top 10 high schools in Michigan on this list and
earned a Newsweek Gold Star Rating for the achievement of HFEC students in
poverty.

The Newsweek High School
Rankings assess schools based on a broad range of data to determine which
institutions do the best job of preparing students for college. Of the top 500
high schools named, 23 are Michigan-based schools.  

HFEC is one of six
“middle college” high schools announced in 2006 and funded by state grants.
HFEC successfully launched in 2007, opening with 40 ninth-graders. HFEC’s
purpose is to prevent students from dropping out of school and prepare them for
employment opportunities in the healthcare field. This is a five-year program
that students begin at the 9th grade level and complete as a
fifth-year senior.

During the 9th
and 10th grades, students enroll in high school classes with an
emphasis on math and science. They are gradually introduced to dual enrollment
college classes and their schedules in their 12th and 13th
years are almost exclusively HFC coursework and clinical rotations at the HFHS.
Upon graduation, qualified students are eligible for employment within the
HFHS.

Through HFEC, students in
grades 9-13 simultaneously complete high school, earn a significant number of
college credits and receive certification in an allied health profession like
Pre-Nursing, Radiographer, Respiratory Therapist and Pharmacy Technician in a
five-year curriculum.

Students are from 17
school districts across Wayne County and receive medical training and
instruction at Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) in Detroit, which is the flagship
medical facility of HFHS.

For the past two years
HFEC achieved a rank in the 99th percentile of the top-to-bottom
rankings of Michigan schools. The school also earned national recognition as a
Distinguished Title One School. Students earn a high school diploma as well as
an associate degree, a health career certificate, and/or up to two years of
transferable college credits. 

There is no cost to parents or students to take
classes through HFEC. The cost of tuition, books, and fees are paid through the
state school foundation grant.

The first HFEC class
graduated in 2012. Many HFEC graduates earned acceptance to prominent Michigan
four-year colleges and universities.

Sarah Kazbour was the
first student from HFEC to graduate with her associate degree in Nursing at age
19. She graduated from HFEC with more than 75 credits and is currently working
as a nurse while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Nursing.   

In 2014, Mikaylah
Heffernan was the first HFEC student to graduate from HFC’s Biotechnology
Program at age 18. She is currently attending MSU and majors in Political
Science/Pre-law. Her goal is go to law school.