When Brookfield Central (BC) Senior Eric Perrin (‘24) graduates in June, he’ll already have an associate's degree to his name and 72 college credits under his belt!

During his first two years at BC, he was involved in AVID and took an Advanced Placement course his second year. Eric’s parents both always stressed the importance of doing what you enjoy for a career, and when Eric was a Sophomore, he attended a college and career night that changed his life. He approached Dr. Amie Farley and asked how he could get a degree without having to accrue college debt, which eventually led him to enroll in the Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) Excelerate program. Through his hard work and dedicated participation in the program, Perrin has spent his Junior and Senior years at WCTC and has earned three technology certificates in Storage and Virtualization Administration, IT Network Support, and Enterprise Support Technician. He also earned his Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification this past September, which he is extra proud of. “I am grateful for Elmbrook’s efforts to educate students on all of the post-high school programs available to me and my classmates,” Eric said. He’s also made the Dean’s List each semester he’s been at WCTC.

Eric singled out Dr. Amie Farley (Director of College, Career & Life Readiness) who has been a constant source of support and guidance in the Exelerate program. He also expressed appreciation for Dr. Phonekeo Siharath (BC English Teacher) who challenged Eric to become the best version of himself.

While earning his credits, Perrin also works as a Food Service Coordinator for Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Despite his busy schedule, Perrin prioritizes his social life and mindfulness. “Doing this much work takes a lot of self-recognition, and it is important to understand what you truly enjoy and want to work towards for a future career,” reflected Eric. “I take regular nature walks to center myself and I’m conscious of balancing my free time. You have to make sure you continue to be involved at your high school too, because having those social connections with your friends and peers is very important.”

As they were two years ago, Eric’s eyes are on the future as he contemplates what’s next. In May 2024, Eric will walk at WCTC’s graduation ceremony to receive his associates degree at only 17 years old, before he even receives his high school diploma! By that time, Eric will have decided between attending UW-Milwaukee or Purdue, with his dreams of a debt-free Bachelors Degree within reach.

Read more stories on the Elmbrook Promise at elmbrookschools.org/promise.