"I'm really proud of myself because I gave myself a glimpse of college life and I realized that I am capable of doing it if I believe in myself."
For students at Da Vinci School for Science and the Arts, success in college begins long before high school graduation. Through a partnership with The University of Texas Permian Basin, 97% of students enrolled in dual credit courses successfully passed their college-level classes in Fall 2025.
These students take college-level courses on their own campus while working toward their high school diploma, earning credits that apply to both high school graduation requirements and future college degrees.
"Getting exposure to college classes, flexing those muscles, building those skills and starting to get that college credit while you're still in high school: that's a winning combination," Dr. Becky Spurlock, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said.
UTPB partners with multiple school districts to offer dual credit opportunities. The admissions team works directly with districts and faculty to develop course offerings that align with students' academic and career interests. At Da Vinci, those pathways include business, engineering, and geology.
"Taking a dual credit class at the college level might help them confirm if this is right or if they want to explore in a different direction," Dr. Spurlock said.
For ninth grader Sarah Duran, the experience provided both confidence and a head start on her future.
"I took this dual credit course to prove to myself that I can do anything that I set my mind to. I also wanted to get ahead," Sarah said.
Sarah hopes to become a pediatric dentist and says the course showed her that goal is within reach.
"I'm really proud of myself because I gave myself a glimpse of college life and I realized that I am capable of doing it if I believe in myself," she said.
Ninth grader Kamil Villa-Sansores also sees dual credit as a stepping stone toward his future goals. One day, he hopes to own his own real estate brokerage.
"I would like to thank our superintendent, Joe E. Gonzales, for bringing this awesome opportunity to all of us, and also to UTPB for letting me be one of their students," Kamil said.
The program's impact extends beyond the classroom. Dr. Joe Gonzales, Superintendent of the Burnham Wood Charter School District, said dual credit opportunities help remove financial barriers for families while preparing students for future careers.
"No one realizes what this means to a family that doesn't have the means financially and yet can say my child can get up to two years of college at the university of their choice and have that paid for," Dr. Gonzales said.
"You know we're very committed to both accessibility and affordability, and that accessibility starts even in high school," Dr. Spurlock said. "Helping families garner college credit throughout the process might shorten their time when they're in college, helping them make a college degree even more affordable."
Dr. Gonzales said the results speak for themselves. Approximately 150 students participated in dual credit courses, and he believes the program is setting them up for long-term success.
"I'm thankful because a lot of universities won't take the risk for someone so far away, El Paso," Dr. Gonzales said. "Some people always thought of El Paso as the last place they wanted to go, but of course it's proven to be different with the kind of scores and the kind of student we produce."
As more students take advantage of dual credit opportunities, the partnership between UTPB and Da Vinci continues to grow, creating new opportunities for future students.
"We have been able to truly grow with them as they expand their early college high school initiatives," Teresa Simpson, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, said. "An example of this expansion is that they have inducted 70 new early college participants for Fall 2026."
The success of Da Vinci students is exactly what UTPB hoped to see when the partnership began.
"Congrats to the students at Da Vinci and congrats to the team leading Da Vinci," Dr. Spurlock said. "Success like this tells me you're taking student success very seriously and working closely in partnership with UTPB to make sure your students aren't just taking classes but are really excelling in those classes."
These students take college-level courses on their own campus while working toward their high school diploma, earning credits that apply to both high school graduation requirements and future college degrees.
"Getting exposure to college classes, flexing those muscles, building those skills and starting to get that college credit while you're still in high school: that's a winning combination," Dr. Becky Spurlock, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said.
UTPB partners with multiple school districts to offer dual credit opportunities. The admissions team works directly with districts and faculty to develop course offerings that align with students' academic and career interests. At Da Vinci, those pathways include business, engineering, and geology.
"Taking a dual credit class at the college level might help them confirm if this is right or if they want to explore in a different direction," Dr. Spurlock said.
For ninth grader Sarah Duran, the experience provided both confidence and a head start on her future.
"I took this dual credit course to prove to myself that I can do anything that I set my mind to. I also wanted to get ahead," Sarah said.
Sarah hopes to become a pediatric dentist and says the course showed her that goal is within reach.
"I'm really proud of myself because I gave myself a glimpse of college life and I realized that I am capable of doing it if I believe in myself," she said.
Ninth grader Kamil Villa-Sansores also sees dual credit as a stepping stone toward his future goals. One day, he hopes to own his own real estate brokerage.
"I would like to thank our superintendent, Joe E. Gonzales, for bringing this awesome opportunity to all of us, and also to UTPB for letting me be one of their students," Kamil said.
The program's impact extends beyond the classroom. Dr. Joe Gonzales, Superintendent of the Burnham Wood Charter School District, said dual credit opportunities help remove financial barriers for families while preparing students for future careers.
"No one realizes what this means to a family that doesn't have the means financially and yet can say my child can get up to two years of college at the university of their choice and have that paid for," Dr. Gonzales said.
"You know we're very committed to both accessibility and affordability, and that accessibility starts even in high school," Dr. Spurlock said. "Helping families garner college credit throughout the process might shorten their time when they're in college, helping them make a college degree even more affordable."
Dr. Gonzales said the results speak for themselves. Approximately 150 students participated in dual credit courses, and he believes the program is setting them up for long-term success.
"I'm thankful because a lot of universities won't take the risk for someone so far away, El Paso," Dr. Gonzales said. "Some people always thought of El Paso as the last place they wanted to go, but of course it's proven to be different with the kind of scores and the kind of student we produce."
As more students take advantage of dual credit opportunities, the partnership between UTPB and Da Vinci continues to grow, creating new opportunities for future students.
"We have been able to truly grow with them as they expand their early college high school initiatives," Teresa Simpson, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, said. "An example of this expansion is that they have inducted 70 new early college participants for Fall 2026."
The success of Da Vinci students is exactly what UTPB hoped to see when the partnership began.
"Congrats to the students at Da Vinci and congrats to the team leading Da Vinci," Dr. Spurlock said. "Success like this tells me you're taking student success very seriously and working closely in partnership with UTPB to make sure your students aren't just taking classes but are really excelling in those classes."
