20 Airport High students have earned 18 hours of college credit -- for free.

The General College Studies Certificate program is a partnership launched last year through Airport and the Midlands Technical College Early College Program.

Dually enrolled high school students can take two college courses each semester during the school day at Airport, and must complete at least 18 college credits to earn the certificate.

Course credits in the program are approved by all SC four-year colleges as transferable in most majors.

Seventeen of Airport’s certificate recipients participated in Midlands Tech graduation ceremonies May 9 at Colonial Life Arena.

The certificate program has an advantage over traditional AP programs, in that students enrolled in AP courses must take the AP exam and receive the test score required by the college they wish to attend for the credit to be awarded. In the certificate program, college credit may be earned without an AP exam.

Students in the program include: Juniors - Angel Anderson, Kayla Bouknight, Zachery Brewster, Weston Campbell, Makaylen (Seanna) Cook-Compton, Maddy-son Frierson, Genesis Griffin, Cayleen Hall, Autumn Jackson, Leslianel Nieto Hernandez, Destiny Payne, Saibriyya Pou, Shada’ Singleton

Seniors - Anna Marie Myers, Travis Campbell, Hallie McGee, Amy Nguyen, Samuel Shannon, Matthew (Paxton) Brooks.