The superintendent of the Manitowoc Public School District was the keynote speaker at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Fall Council of Trustees Reception & Dinner.
Superintendent Lee Thennes spoke about the impact of the Rising Phoenix partnership, a groundbreaking dual-enrollment program between Manitowoc Public Schools and UW–Green Bay that allows high school students to earn college credits.
In many cases, this program allowed students to achieve an associate degree before graduating from high school.
Since launching in 2022, Rising Phoenix has enrolled 130 Lincoln High School students, with completion rates ranging from 92% to 100%.
More than half of participating students are first-generation college students, many from families facing financial challenges.
Thennes noted that “Rising Phoenix is far more than a program. It is a movement, one that is breaking down barriers, unlocking potential, and creating pathways for students who might otherwise have been left behind.”
The program was held in the Riverside Ballroom on the Green Bay Campus on Monday, and also featured UWGB Chancellor Michael Alexander.
