Welcome to Challenge Early College High School,
a nationally recognized 2011 Blue Ribbon School!
Challenge Early College is a high school where students are given the unique opportunity to take college classes along with the regular high school curriculum. Housed on the HCCS West Loop campus, with articulated sharing of space and staff, CECHS allows the high school student to gradually integrate into college course work through his or her traditional high school degree plan.
For more information, explore this website, download the 2010-2011 Student Handbook, or call (713) 664-9712.
Clueless About College? Let Us Help!
Challenge ECHS and HCC invite parents to attend the HCC-Dual Credit Parent Academy. This program is committed to connect parents, school and communities as partners, to advance knowledge and skills through parent engagements. The Parent Academy is a training and service oriented partnership designed to empower parents to become advocates for their children, to support and encourage college admission and completion. The parents will learn about tools and resources to continue their education and become productive lifelong learners with their children.
The training is offered FREE to parents and is held monthly on the Second Saturday of February, March and April, 9:00am – 12:00pm in the auditorium of the HCC West Loop campus, 5601 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77081. Our goal is to create a college bound culture, inform parents and the community about educational issues, to increase college admission for parents and students. Parents will acquire information to minimize the challenges faced in preparing for college and success in life. The sessions will be presented by facilitators with expertise in the field. Click here for more information.
Challenge International Festival
Challenge Families are invited to attend the International Festival on Thursday, February 23rd from 6:00-8:30pm. The event is FREE and will be held in the HCC auditorium. The PTO is asking families to bring a favorite cultural or family traditional dish to share at the festival. Entertainment at the event will include a culture fashion show, raffle, silent auction, student artwork, and musical performances. Please see the participation form for more information and to sign up to bring a dish or volunteer for the event.
Debbie shows off one of her
many acceptance letters.
The Acceptances Are Rolling In!
So far, Challenge's Class of 2012 is making quite the impression on college admissions offices around the country. It's only January, and already over 80% of our seniors have been accepted to a four-year college or university, and have been offered scholarships totalling $1,656,000! See what colleges and universities have accepted our graduating students so far.
See what colleges and universities accepted our graduates last year.
Don Quixote Doesn't Disappoint
Daniel and Jesus are Sancho and Quixote
The CECHS Players would like to thank all of those who came out to support CECHS theatre by coming to see the showings of Don Quixote de La Mancha on December 1 & 2. The CECHS Players once again demonstrated their substantial talent through their performance of the hilarious play. Lead actors Jesus Aguilar (Don Quixote, right) and Daniel Chavez (Sancho Panza, left) left everything they had on the stage in the HCC auditorium as they galloped along on Rocinante and Rucio, their respective steeds, searching for innocent civilians requiring rescue and treacherous villains in need of justice. With never a dull moment in their adventure, Jesus and Daniel constantly found themselves in many abnormal yet humorous situations, invoking boisterous outbursts of laughter from the audience.
Don't miss the next show!
U.S. Education Secretary Recognizes Challenge as One of Nation's Top Schools at 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony
CECHS is represented in Washington, DC
On November 15, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan honored 315 schools as the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools at an awards luncheon in Washington, D.C. The Blue Ribbon School award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that have helped close the achievement gap and whose students attain and maintain high academic goals. This year's winners include your very own Challenge Early College High School. The schools—266 public and 49 private—are among more than 6,000 that have received the coveted award over the past 29 years.
"America's long-term economic prosperity and civic engagement depends on our children receiving a world-class education," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "National Blue Ribbon Schools are committed to accelerating student achievement and preparing students for success in college and careers. Their success is an example for others to follow."
This is a tribute to Challenge students' hard work and dedication. Congratulations on a job well done, and keep up the good work!
Freshmen Spend a Day at the Opera
Mia and Kodili are ready for the show to begin!
On Tuesday, November 9, more than 100 Challenge students, mostly freshmen, attended Houston Grand Opera's performance of Rossini's famous opera The Barber of Seville at the Wortham Center. After the breathtaking performace the group made a lunch stop at Discovery Green.
This field trip to two of Houston's downtown gems reminds us of the benefits of living in such a culturally rich city!
CECHS Earns 2011 National Blue Ribbon Honor
Congratulations, Challenge Community! Thanks to your hard work, CECHS is one of only three HISD schools to be named 2011 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The Blue Ribbon Schools Award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students. Read the HISD press release ...