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Northwest Celebrates 10 Years of Student Success
Northwest Celebrates 10 Years of Student Success
Posted on 05/18/2018
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Northwest Early College High School celebrated their 10-year anniversary and all of their success as an exemplary institution in the Canutillo Independent School District. 

Earlier this year, the Texas Education Agency announced the nomination of Northwest Early College High School among 26 Texas public schools for national 2018 Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. The school was nominated in the Exemplary High-Performing category and must now complete a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education.

"This nomination is truly a defining moment in my career as an educator,” said Tracy Speaker-Gerstheimer, Principal at Northwest Early College High School. “We have made such progress here and have impacted so many student lives. I could not be prouder of the work that we do; work that could not be accomplished without the dedication of a wonderful faculty and staff.”

Northwest Early College High School is a collaboration between the Canutillo ISD and El Paso Community College.  The school opened its doors in 2008 to give students the unique chance of earning their high-school diploma at the same time as an Associate’s Degree from EPCC. The innovative early college allows students to get a head start on their college education in a highly rigorous academic environment.

While enrolled at Northwest, students earn at least 60 hours of college credit for free, resulting in an associate’s degree with a value of about $25,000. Students also benefit from a smaller campus and more personalized attention to their success. The graduation rate is 100% and 90% of those also do so with a 2-year college degree. The class of 2018 earned about $4 million in scholarships.

The Blue Ribbon nomination isn’t the only recognition the school received this year. For the second year in a row, Northwest was named to the 2017 - 2018 Educational Results Partnership Honor Roll for their academic achievement and for closing achievement gaps. And recently, the school made the U.S. News & World Report's list of Best High Schools in the country for the third year in a row. In 2016, Northwest boasted El Paso's only semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program that year.

Students, staff, alumni, board members and administrators shared in the celebration to mark the 10 year anniversary with a field day May 16, 2018, at the Westside Soccer Complex.  

Northwest is located on EPCC’s Northwest Campus.  If you would like more information please call 877-1701 or visit us at nwechs.canutillo-isd.org.