10 May 2026 Powered for what’s next
By Mark Oliver
When Sadie Saunders first heard about Greenbrier High School’s Core+ Impact Academy, she was convinced it wasn’t for her.
“I never saw myself as someone who was ‘book smart,’ so I thought this program was never going to work for me,” Sadie said.
Now, as she prepares to graduate in May with both a high school diploma and an associate degree, she says the program has changed everything.
“My counselors and teachers helped me believe in myself and now I feel a lot more confident and prepared going into college,” Sadie said.
For Parker Roberts, a 2025 Greenbrier graduate now attending the University of Arkansas, the program’s impact is still unfolding. Because he completed his associate degree in high school, he will begin nursing school a full year earlier than many of his peers.
“Completing the Associate’s Degree was challenging, yet rewarding, and it boosted my confidence before taking even more challenging classes in college,” Parker said. “It lifted a weight off my shoulders and helped me get ahead of the game.”
Parker and Sadie are two of hundreds of Greenbrier students whose lives have been shaped by the district’s decade-long commitment to concurrent credit and associate degree pathways. Today, students can complete up to two years of college before they ever step foot on a university campus, a model that has become a defining part of Greenbrier High School’s identity.
The Academy began in 2015 with a simple but ambitious idea from Superintendent Scott Spainhour: if students were capable of college-level work, why not let them begin early with the support of the teachers who already knew them best?
“We were looking at our existing staff and their advanced degrees and believed we were close to doing something special if we found the right partner,” Spainhour said. “If we could help students complete their first two years of college with quality support at home, it would be a great investment in their future.”
The Academy’s first partnership was with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), which approved curriculum, staff and awarded the first associate degrees. Recently, the district transitioned to the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM), aligning more closely with where many Greenbrier students were already choosing to continue their education.
Since the program’s inception, more than 400 students have earned both a high school diploma and an associate degree. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kelli D. Martin says the district is on track to graduate 27 seniors this year with an associate degree, with annual totals ranging from 25 to 40. Students who don’t complete the full degree often graduate with 30 or 40 hours of college credit, saving families thousands.
“Students are much more likely to further their education with that first step under their belt,” Martin said. “By getting exposure to college curriculum early, they gain the confidence to know they can succeed at the next level.”
One of the Academy’s greatest strengths is that students take college level courses from Greenbrier’s own teachers at no additional cost to families. Additionally, Greenbrier applies its Response to Intervention (RTI) model to concurrent credit courses, offering embedded support during the school day.
“The beauty of having our own staff members who are high quality educators is that they know our system from Pre-K to high school,” Martin said. “If a student needs extra time in concurrent calculus, they receive it.”
The program has also changed how early families begin planning for college. Greenbrier now fields questions from parents of eighth graders preparing for ninth-grade concurrent courses. In 2024, 7.5% of the graduating class earned an associate degree. Last year, that number nearly doubled to 14%. The trend continues upward.
“Families really appreciate the opportunity,” Spainhour said. “If you have a couple of kids that you can send to college paid for before they leave high school, that’s a big draw.”
Looking forward, Greenbrier plans to expand beyond its current associate degree in general studies into UACCM’s 2+2 programs, including early childhood education, business administration, marketing and accounting.
While the Academy continues to expand, its growth is best seen in the students who move through it. For Sadie, the Academy didn’t just accelerate her education, it reshaped her identity. She now plans to become a physical therapist and already works as a fitness instructor.
“This program pushed me to my full potential and helped me believe that I can do hard things,” Sadie said. “Today, I feel much more confident in my studying and work ethic.”
Parker’s story also illustrates the program’s flexibility. As a multi-sport athlete heavily involved in extracurriculars, he was able to balance the workload without sacrificing his commitments.
“Anyone within the Greenbrier School District can take advantage of the opportunities the academy provides,” he said. “The positive habits I developed in high school have helped me continue to set high expectations for myself and remain focused in college.”
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