Jade Komiensky, left, and Caroline Russell, right, hold up their Calhoun diplomas after their college graduation on May 9.

Before their Athens High School graduation on Thursday night, seniors Caroline Russell and Jade Komiensky have already walked across the stage as they received their associate’s degree from Calhoun Community College on May 9.

Thanks to Calhoun’s accelerated high school program, the two Golden Eagles were able to complete the required two years worth of college courses in their 11th and 12th grade years.

“We both had each other, yes it was hard, but we always knew we could rely on the other if we were ever struggling,” Komiensky said. “The most difficult part was trying to find the balance between school work and social life with our peers.”

On top of the workload required with both college and high school classes, Jade worked 30-plus hour work weeks to prepare for her life post graduation. The two teenagers did not have to pay for their college courses, as they received a workforce scholarship that paid for their two years at Calhoun.

“I had a lot of amazing teachers, and my bosses were super helpful, so I don’t think I would have been able to do it without them,” Komiensky said. “I already knew I could take on all the work, because once I’ve set my mind on something I have to finish it.”

Russell did not start working full-time until her second semester in the dual enrollment courses, but she had to deal with the added pressure of being a student-athlete as a cheerleader for Athens High School.

“It was particularly hard the first semester, because that was the start of our competition season,” Russell said. “My teachers and professors were very understanding, but it really taught me how to put my school work first and then my training and athletic requirements second.”

Russell also mentioned that school work has never come easy to her, as she has suffered with dyslexia all her life. She made sure to talk about her family, and how they have always encouraged her to go above and beyond in her academic career.

“My mom is in education, and really most of the women in my family are educators as well,” Russell said. “They were always reassuring and have always been my biggest supporters since I was little,”

Komiensky also noted that her family has been some of her biggest supporters, but as a first-generation college graduate, sometimes they did not understand how stressful her work was.

“My mom did not graduate college, and my dad didn’t even graduate high school,” Komiensky said. “They were still there for me, but when I had all of that work to do, they couldn’t really relate to what I was going through.”

After all of the work and the stress, and after their graduations, Komiensky plans to become a certified pharmacy technician while Caroline will head to the University of Alabama to major in political science. The pair accredited their future endeavors to the labor and toil they put in the past two years.

“I would really recommend other students give dual enrollment a chance,” Russell said. “Even if you don’t think college is an option in your future, they can try this to find out with no harm done.”

That same sentiment would go on to be reciprocated by Komiensky, who encouraged her peers to give dual enrollment courses a chance.

“I would say go for it, but you have to be self-disciplined and ready to work,” Komiensky said. “Don’t be afraid to take on a challenge like this, but you have to really want it if you do.”