Fairmont State offering foster care housing and school through new program [Video]

FAIRMONT, W.Va (WDTV) – A one-of-a-kind program is coming to Fairmont State.

It’s called Middle College, and it’s an opportunity for teens 16 and older to live on campus and earn a high school diploma and an associate degree at the same time.

It all started in the summer of 2022, when Dianna Phillips, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fairmont State, met one of her current business partners, Brent Lemon, through First Star, a summer program for kids in foster care.

”We started talking about the possibility of the Middle College, which would enable us to enroll 11th and 12th graders, get them a high school diploma and an associate’s degree and 60 credit hours,” said Phillips.

This will be the first Middle College program dedicated to kids in foster care in the country.

Last year, West Virginia had the highest number of kids in foster care per capita.

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