Horizon Honors, until recently, has been partnered with South Mountain Community College (SMCC) for dual enrollment classes. Dual enrollment classes, such as Advanced Composition Honors, College Algebra Honors, Brief Calculus, and Calculus, allowed high school students to earn college credit by taking college-level courses. It was recently announced that Horizon Honors will be ending their partnership with SMCC, in favor of a partnership with Trine University.

Trine University was established in Indiana in 1884 and has a Campus here in Peoria, Arizona. This university offers dual enrollment classes that will be a better fit for Horizon Honors than SMCC. For example, students have to pay $84 per credit hour as well as additional fees for the textbooks and materials needed at the moment. Trine only charges $20 per credit hour, not including textbooks and materials. In the past, there has been some trouble with payment and registration with South Mountain Community College. Trine University has the payment and registration processes simplified, so it will be much easier. Another advantage of Trine is that it allows sophomores to be eligible to receive credit, whereas SMCC is no longer willing to do this with most sophomores.

Cynthia Shaheen, who will be principal of Horizon Honors next year, says, “I just see it as an ever-broadening program, rather than limiting to our students. I just think it opens more doors, and that’s what I want for our students. I don’t want them to have limits on what their opportunities are.” She explains how Trine will have an increase in offerings, including more dual enrollment courses. Although this will be a slow-moving process that will just be beginning next year, it will have an amazing amount of benefits and opportunities for students at Horizon Honors.