Missoula Sentinel High School was recognized on Friday for leading the state in dual enrollment.

Sentinel Principal Ted Fuller said the ceremony was held in the Sentinel gymnasium on Friday morning.

"We were recognized by the governor's office, in fact,. Lt. Governor Angela McLean was here to provide us and Missoula College with a certificate of distinction for leading the state in terms of dual enrollment," Fuller said, and then explained the concept of dual enrollment.

"It means that a student is dually enrolled in their high school program, as well as a post secondary program," he said. "Specifically, a course that we offer here in the high school that mirrors a course that exists at Missoula College or the mountain campus where students are completing college course work taught by a Sentinel faculty member who has been endorsed by the university to teach  that course."

Fuller said dual enrollment can mean a significant financial reduction for new college students.

"It is about $49 and change a credit, so students who enroll in a three credit course earn three college credits worth about $150," he said. "To put that in perspective, at Sentinel High School this year, dual enrollment has save our families over $210,000 in tuition fees that they would have paid had these students taken these courses on the college campus."

Fuller said dual credit courses exist in culinary arts, health science, media arts, and next year the college campus will be introducing a class in film making.

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