Eighteen Poughkeepsie High School freshmen represent the inaugural class for a first-of-its-kind program in New York State, which students will gain college credits while training in the performing arts.

The Smart Scholars Early College High School Performing Arts Academy, a collaboration between the Poughkeepsie City School District, Dutchess Community College and The Bardavon 1869 Opera House, began this fall.

The program, made possible through a New York State Department of Education grant of up to $825,000, is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts after high school graduation and spans a student’s four years at Poughkeepsie.

The initial cohort of 18 students, which includes nine English Language Learners, are taking a usual ninth-grade schedule with core classes. Specialized courses, the specifics of which are being finalized, begin with a foundational course this summer and continue through 12th grade.

“This year, what they’re going to get is extra career counseling, extra academic support, and an orientation to the college setting and performing arts,” said Dr. Janety Encarnacion, director of college readiness and workforce education. “We’re working on creating a bridge program for the summer, where they’ll take their first college course.”

Encarnacion is also in the process of hiring a program liaison to support the students.

In all, the students will be able to accumulate up to 24 college credits, transferable to schools within the SUNY system; the credits may also be transferable outside the SUNY system at the individual school’s discretion.

While the school district will be providing academic support, Dutchess Community College is working with the school district to offer the college-level courses, and the Bardavon is expected to offer some training. Dutchess will also supply career counseling.

Not every student who goes through the system will pursue the performing arts as a career. However, many of the skills acquired in the training, such as experience speaking in front of crowds, translate to many career paths. Some of the college courses included are also general education, such as the high school’s English 101 and 102 dual enrollment classes.

The plan calls for the students in the program to share the same class schedule beginning next year. Encarnacion called this year “the preparation period to get ready for the college courses,” after which “we’ll have a nice sequence of courses” through the following three years. The students will take a course each summer, as well.

Students will be expected to keep their grades up throughout the program, and one of the program liaison’s tasks will be keeping tabs on their progress.

Because half the cohort members are English Language Learners, Encarnacion is exploring what additional academic intervention services they will need to thrive. She said she’ll be checking in with the students to ensure they get up to speed with the rigors of college-level work.

“I’m really focused on the academic piece, especially for the English Language Learners. I want to make sure they’re successful. But you never know until they start,” she said. “I can’t wait to see how they’re doing already.”