Trigg County High School Relishes First-Ever HCC ‘Early College’ Grads

They say it’s never too late to graduate.

It’s also never too early.

Friday afternoon at Hopkinsville Community College’s Riley Lecture Hall, Trigg County High School embraced its first-ever “Early College” curriculum completers — seven of the 11 walking the stage, a full two weeks before they will wander off as the Wildcats Class of 2026.

Bound for the University of Kentucky with plans to become a doctor, Avery Kesty knows several more years of schooling are up ahead on his horizon.

Getting two of them out of the way now, he added, was prudent, made possible with half-day learning in Hopkinsville, followed by afternoon sessions with the Trigg County Wildcats Band.

Cooper Brame plans to attend Murray State University, where both business and music may have his divided, yet passionate, attention. It’s close to home, close to family, and it allows him to reconnect with his sister, Riley, who is off and running there.

He noted that, as Trigg County’s first-ever “Early College” class, there was a lot of expectation to make sure the program was worthwhile and fortuitous — because it is a bit unconventional.

Winner of Trigg County High School’s inaugural “Amazing Shake” challenge, Sydney Bryant isn’t going to jump into the emergency management world like her dad, David, has for south western Kentucky.

She does, however, feel prepped and ready for the college life at the University of Kentucky, where she plans to pursue psychology, criminal justice and some straightaway into law, and this past semester’s sociology class is now a part of that fabric.

Echoing the sentiments of others, Chloe Adams said the “head start” and the “time management” aspect of HCC’s growing program were critical chapters over the last two years — where she balanced volleyball and other extracurriculars with her schedule.

Also bound for the University of Kentucky, she wants to major in psychology — where law, or perhaps forensics, has her captured her interests as a potential criminal investigator.

Having moved from New York a short time ago, Michael Mahon didn’t have much time to get acclimated to Trigg County High School and south western Kentucky, but this experience has propelled him forward.

His pre-SAT and ACT scores categorically placed him into HCC’s “Early College” plan, and he balanced that, Trigg County’s Leadership Class, a part-time job at Wendy’s in order to carve a way to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where nuclear engineering — and nearby Oak Ridge — awaits.

Available for juniors and seniors, the program offers major financial savings and is made possible through generous support from the Cadiz Rotary Club.

Dual-credit classes cost $93 per credit hour, while annual costs are estimated at about $2,400 before scholarships, and eligible students may qualify for state dual-credit assistance programs that significantly lower expenses.

Full 2026 Trigg County Class

FULL GRADUATION CEREMONY

Early Trigg Graduates And HCC Graduation Snaps: 2026

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