For Peter and Chloe Woodbury, graduating from Western Nevada College is more than a milestone; it’s a full-circle moment more than a decade in the making.

On Monday, the Carson High School twins will walk across the stage as Western Nevada College graduates as part of the institution’s record-setting Jump Start commencement class. Thirteen years earlier, they participated in a much smaller graduation on campus after completing the pre-kindergarten program at WNC’s Child Development Center.

“Peter and Chloe’s story beautifully reflects the lifelong impact that education and community can have on students and families,” said Western Nevada College President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe. “From their early years in our Child Development Center to earning college degrees through Jump Start before graduating high school, they represent the opportunities that exist when students are supported, challenged and encouraged to grow. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see all they will achieve in the future.”

Peter and Chloe barely have known life without Western Nevada College being part of it.

The twins were students in the college’s award-winning Child Development Center during their formative years, where their earliest school memories began.

“I remember having fun and learning from a young age, the weather and the days of the week,” Chloe said.

Peter still remembers preschool teacher Ms. Carla (Tolotti) and her “story ball.”

“When it was my turn to hold the story ball, I would get to answer questions about the story she read to us,” he said.

 

Chloe and Peter Woodbury at their Child Development
Center graduation in 2013.

Their early connection to WNC helped make the campus feel familiar long before they became college students. Their mother, Stacy, and father, Jason (a district judge), believe growing up around the college environment played a major role in preparing them for the Jump Start program.

“Being on the WNC campus from a young age allowed the twins to become comfortable in a new setting, away from their traditional Carson schools,” said Stacy, who is the Manager of Public Affairs at Southwest Gas and a member of WNC Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “They also took driver’s education on the WNC campus when they were 15. Both experiences allowed them to become comfortable in a college setting, which laid the groundwork for success in the Jump Start program.”

That success has been significant.

At the start of their freshman year at Carson High School, Peter and Chloe joined a cohort of students taking college classes through Jump Start. Now, before even receiving their high school diplomas on June 5, they will graduate from WNC alongside 240 other Jump Start students.

Chloe will receive her Associate of Arts degree, while Peter will get an Associate degree in Business.

“Jump Start was the best decision I made,” Chloe said. “It prepared me for college courses, taught me organization and scheduling, and created a community with memories I’ll never forget.”

Peter appreciated the independence the program gave him.

“I’ve been treated as an adult in Jump Start since I was 14, and that has allowed me to act like one too,” he said. “I was able to participate in my high school extracurricular activities while also being a full-time college student.”

The experience has also positioned them well for the future. Chloe plans to attend the University of Utah’s Marriott School of Dance, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with double majors in Modern Dance and Political Science. Peter will attend the University of Utah as well, majoring in Business and Finance with a minor in Campaign Management.

Nearly all of their WNC credits will transfer with them, giving the twins significant head starts on their university education.

“Now that they are seniors and graduating from WNC, they can appreciate the amount of time and money that attending college requires and are very amazed at the opportunities Jump Start provides,” Stacy said.

Even though the twins pursued different academic tracks, they studied together and supported one another through the program’s demands.

“Jump Start has so many advantages for students,” Stacy said. “First, the twins now know they can handle college level coursework and even had a class that taught them real life college skills like applying for financial aid and scholarships, setting a budget and study skills. Second, they were able to explore other classes and subjects. They were given expectations for coursework and excelled by learning to meet deadlines as independent students. And they have independently developed their own study styles and habits that will help them through college and into the workforce.”

For the Woodbury family, WNC has been much more than a college campus. Over the years, the family has participated in numerous programs and activities connected to the institution, from driver’s education and musical theater to American Sign Language classes.

“All three of our children are graduates of the pre-K program at the CDC,” Stacy said. “Being involved in Jump Start for the last four years has helped Chloe and Peter develop into motivated and engaged learners who are excited for the next step in furthering their education.”

Now, 13 years after their first graduation at WNC, Peter and Chloe are preparing for another: this time with associate degrees in hand and their futures already in motion.

For more information about WNC’s Jump Start program, phone 775-445-3267. To learn more about WNC’s Child Development Center, go to wnc.edu/cdc.