More educational opportunities to come this fall for Butler County high school students

EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler Community College is proud to announce a second Early College Academy pathway on Butler’s El Dorado campus starting this August. This Health Sciences Early College pathway brings high school students from surrounding areas another learning opportunity and puts students on an early track toward an associate degree. 

Participating students will earn their Certified Nursing Assistant certificate, CNA, in just one semester. Previously, students participating in the Health Science pathway had to commute to Rose Hill High School. With the addition of the El Dorado campus, Butler has aimed to make learning more accessible to students in the northern part of Butler County who have a career interest the health sciences industry. 

Superintendent of USD 490 Teresa Tosh said, “Anytime you give students opportunities for secondary education, it’s a great thing. I think there is a financial benefit for both students and parents. This academy taps into passions that they are actually interested in.” 

Classes will be taught by Butler professors on the El Dorado campus and students could potentially have classes with other Butler students outside of the Health Sciences pathway. Classes will be predominately face-to-face from 8-11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Besides completing their CNA, students can choose to transition into Butler’s nursing, pre-veterinarian, pre-med or other science programs, or transfer to a four-year university.  

“This allows the Early College Academy to be more accessible to high school students in the area,” said Donnie Featherston, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the Early College Academy at Butler Community College. “USD 490 and USD 375 will benefit immensely from this new addition.” 

Butler’s Early College Academies are nationally recognized and currently offered in El Dorado, Andover, Augusta, Douglass, and Rose Hill. The program allows high school sophomores and juniors to work toward an associate degree in a variety of academic areas. Many students earn their associate degree from Butler before their high school graduation.  

The Health Science Early College Academy pathway is currently taking applications for August with limited space available. 

For more information: 

Contact Donnie Featherston at: DFeatherston@butlercc.edu or (316)322-3130. 

Contact Lisa Bolin at: LBolin@butlercc.edu or (316)218-6139.