As the 2022 school year comes to an end, seniors are growing antsy for graduation, especially those who are on the path to graduating early: Antanina Larchey and Emma Dangleis. 

La Quinta High School, like many other high schools, offers its students the opportunity to graduate in three years instead of continuing on to their fourth year. 

This is not a well-known option as the initial thought going into high school is that a student will stay there for all four years. However, it is not impossible to get way ahead of peers and get out of school a year early. 

Starting as soon as they’re freshmen, and no later than their sophomore year of high school, students looking to cross graduation off their to-do list early must meet with the principal and their counselor with a clear reason why they want to achieve this goal and a carefully thought-out plan on how they will achieve it. 

Students exploring this option must take extra classes at colleges or online to gain all necessary credits to graduate.

“Anyone who has that drive and that organization to pass those courses would definitely be a good candidate,” said Elva Peña, who is one of the counselors.

Peña knows how hard students have to work. Falling behind is very easy when students have to complete their junior and senior year in one year.

Throughout Larchey’s sophomore year and during the summer before junior year, she made major progress in earning the amount of credits she needed to graduate. 

“It wasn’t planned,” she said. “It’s just that it all came together like that.” 

Being one of only two students graduating early, this opportunity is a big deal. 

Not only will Larchey be graduating early, but she will also be leaving the safety of her parents’ home earlier than most high school students at 17-years-old. 

“I’m still getting used to it. I’m just getting around to the fact that in a few months, I’m going to be in my apartment all by myself,” said Larchey.

Larchey’s dream college, and the college she has already been accepted to, University of Arizona, is also helping her out with scholarships to help with the rent of her new apartment. 

“[The scholarship] is because I had a 4.0 GPA unweighted,” she said. 

Larchey has always strived to achieve the highest possible score and has always achieved her goals.

Dangleis also started her journey as soon as she could. 

“I knew the minute that I started high school that I wasn’t going to be one for ‘the high school experience’,” she said. “I wanted something to work towards that would help me develop a good work ethic as well as time management skills.” 

Well on her way to graduate high school in 2022, Dangleis has no regrets. 

“I’ve really gotten to enjoy and soak in the last couple months of high school, as well as the ‘lasts’: last dance performance, last FCA meeting as president, as well as taking senior photos and going to prom.” 

Both of La Quinta High School’s early graduates are happy with their decisions, even with the challenges that came with finding classes to gain credits. They have had amazing moments in their three years of high school and will take that with them the rest of their lives.