Welcome back to Extra Credit, a weekly roundup of education-related news from across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
Have a story idea, tip or think there’s something I missed? Email me at meghan@cardinalnews.org.
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What’s inside
- Lynchburg student film featured at National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Also in Lynchburg: Community partners invited to Tuesday forum
- Virginia higher education leaders to explore 3-year bachelor’s degree programs
- High school students can now earn an associate degree from Roanoke College
- Cardinal News hosts graphic novel readings at local libraries
Lynchburg student film featured at National Museum of African American History and Culture
Two Lynchburg students brought local history to a national audience when a documentary they produced was played at the National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.
Sydney Huffman and Adalyn Sheaffer of Linkhorne Middle School were among five Lynchburg students who competed in the 2026 National History Day contest at the University of Maryland this June.
Huffman and Sheaffer’s award-winning project included the documentary “From One Pool to a Revolution: Camp Kum-Ba-Yah and the Ripple of Inclusion.”
The 10-minute film explores the city of Lynchburg’s efforts to resist integration of public pools. In 1961, Lynchburg closed its public schools to avoid integrating them. In response, Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center Director Bev Cosby opened the local camp’s pools to the community, allowing people of all races to swim together.
In the film, the students interviewed former Lynchburg City Council member Randy Nelson and reflected on the historical moment’s impact on the community, according to a news release.
Lynchburg residents will have the opportunity to view the documentary in August. Camp Kum-Ba-Yah is hosting a free screening and community event at the Academy Center of the Arts on Aug. 29. Find more information and get your tickets here.
Also in Lynchburg: Community partners invited to Tuesday forum
Lynchburg City Schools is inviting businesses, nonprofits, churches, volunteers and other community members to a forum at Heritage High School this week.
This event is designed to connect schools with individuals and organizations who are interested in supporting students and strengthening the community. The morning will begin with an overview of the division’s strategic plan and will include highlights from recent school needs assessments that identified opportunities for community involvement and support, according to the division’s website.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage directly with school and division representatives and explore ways to get involved in Lynchburg schools.
The event will take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. June 30 at Heritage High School, 3101 Wards Ferry Road. RSVP here.
Virginia higher education leaders to explore 3-year bachelor’s degree programs
Virginia colleges and universities are joining an effort to create a model for three-year undergraduate degree programs.
The “Scaling College in 3” initiative is a partnership based on a national movement to move away from the traditional 120-credit, four-year college degree model and give students a quicker entry into the workforce.
The goal is to design two 90-credit degree programs by spring 2028, according to a news release.
Representatives from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and officials from multiple Virginia colleges and universities, as well as higher education leaders from Ohio, will partner with Jobs for the Future, Arnold Ventures, Strada Education Foundation, the American Association of Colleges and Universities and Ithaka S+R Hugh on this initiative.
They will meet over the next year with national experts to discuss policy, accreditation, and curriculum and program design considerations, according to the release.
“Virginia’s higher education institutions continue to lead the way in innovation, demonstrating a statewide commitment to ensuring higher education delivers on its value proposition to students and families,” Scott Fleming, SCHEV’s executive director, said in a statement. “Colleges and universities throughout the country are already offering three-year degrees, but there is no national model. This effort will create new pathways for students to pursue their life and career goals while ensuring a rigorous education experience.”
Some colleges and universities already offer three-year accelerated programs or five-year programs where students can earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, but more are exploring ways to cut costs, reduce student debt and meet the needs of students as college enrollment trends change nationally.
High school students can now earn an associate degree from Roanoke College
Starting this fall, high school students can earn an associate degree from Roanoke College before they graduate.
Students attending Explore@RC, the college’s lab school, will be able to complete their first two years of general education requirements through the Associate of Arts in College Foundations program.
The program is available to students at no cost through 2029 thanks to grant funding.
“The Associate of Arts in College Foundations creates a strategic new pathway for students in Explore@RC and for other dual-enrollment students who are ready for college-level work,” said Natasha Watts, executive director for learning innovation and Explore@RC at Roanoke College, in a statement. “It allows students to earn a liberal arts associate degree while still in high school, which can be transformative for families thinking about cost, access and long-term opportunity.”
Students will follow a three-year course plan beginning in 10th grade. They will enroll in existing courses alongside traditional Roanoke College students and can earn more than 60 credits by graduation. Students who begin the program in 10th grade can earn an associate degree by the time they graduate high school if they take summer courses, according to a news release.
“This program was intentionally designed to connect high school students to a strong academic pathway that can support transfer, continued degree completion and career exploration. It represents an important step in expanding opportunity through Roanoke College-Roanoke Valley,” Lisa Stoneman, assistant vice president for RC-RV, said in a statement.
Dual-enrollment students are more likely to continue to college within seven months of high school graduation, according to research from the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, and are more likely to persist into the second year of college.
Students interested in applying to Explore@RC should email Natasha Watts at nwatts@roanoke.edu.
Cardinal News hosts graphic novel readings at local libraries
Calling families of third through fifth-grade students near Bedford and Floyd!
Cardinal News has been working on a graphic novel highlighting the stories of the everyday people who made America’s independence possible. We’ll be presenting one draft chapter for your youngsters to try out and give their feedback on.
Two of our graphic novel artists, Stephen Kissel and Ryleigh Ingle, will be there to share their artistic process and read their chapter. We’ll also have snacks and a colonial-era craft.
- “Victory at Yorktown” with Ryleigh Ingle
12:30 p.m. July 11, Floyd Comic Fest at Jessie Peterman Memorial Library, 321 W. Main St., Floyd
- “Taxation Without Representation” with Stephen Kissel
4 p.m. July 16, Bedford Central Library, 321 N. Bridge St., Bedford
The graphic novel is part of our Cardinal News 250 project, in conjunction with VA250, celebrating 250 years of American independence. Thanks to a grant from the Acton Family Giving and the Hearthland Foundation, we are bringing these historic stories to Virginia’s students through a collaboration of artists, historians and writers.
