Pender Early College High School (PECHS) first opened its doors in the fall of 2006 under the umbrella of the North Carolina New Schools Project (NCNSP), which was a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation initiative. NCNSP’s goal was “to spark and support deep instructional change by purposefully and dramatically rethinking traditional schools’ organization to promote more effective teaching and learning.” The NCNSP was the force behind innovative schools and the early college movement that swept throughout North Carolina and across the US. These schools are still some of the top performing schools in the country.
PECHS along with its partnership with Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) has built a program to give students opportunities to not only graduate from high school but to also earn an associate’s degree, diploma, and/or certificate from CFCC’s vast program offerings. Students start taking classes as early as their Freshman year and most students graduate within four years with two years of transferable credit to all sixteen NC public colleges/universities. PECHS students receive support from both the high school and college staff to assist them with the transition from high school to college courses. PECHS offers small class sizes which allow instructors to build relationships with students and also focus on the individual needs of every student. PECHS instructors use ready for college instruction focusing on skills specifically in reading and writing that will promote success in classes beyond high school. PECHS instructors prepare the students to be successful in their college courses as well as their future career endeavors.
PECHS has won many awards since its beginning including School of Innovation and Excellence from the New Schools Project (2016) and National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Recipient (2021). Graduates from PECHS have also achieved many awards and scholarships including two Moorehead Cain recipients as well as two early assurance honors college recipients at ECU. PECHS continues to achieve excellence in being one of the top rated schools in North Carolina.
PECHS is accepting both transfer and incoming freshman applicants, please see our website at https://www.pender.k12.nc.us/o/pechs/page/admission/.