MOREHEAD, Ky. (LEX 18) — A lot of people are celebrating graduations this month. A family in Rowan County is celebrating their daughter receiving both a degree from a university as well as her high school diploma.
Miana Ratcliff spends time helping her parents at their floral design shop in Morehead. That's in between the time she's spending finishing up her senior year at Rowan County High School.
But before she graduates this week, she's already walked across the stage at Morehead State University, where she received an associate's degree in the arts.
"A lot of people on campus in my classes didn't realize that I was a high school student, so sometimes I'd just mention it in conversation and they'd be like, 'Oh wow!'" said Ratcliff.
So how did this all happen?
"My high school has a program called the Rowan County Early College Academy," said Ratcliff.
As she told us, it allows you to take college courses full-time while still in high school. So for two years, she took classes at MSU.
"I'm just, really proud of her," said Jason Ratcliff, Miana's dad.
Jason teaches at her high school. You can bet he was one of many of her educators encouraging her and supporting her along the way.
"The past couple of years shes been doing mostly all college classes and she's just extremely gifted, and I'm very proud. Very proud dad," said Jason.
He said Miana works hard for all the right reasons.
"She does things not for anybody else's attention, but just because she likes to do them," said Jason.
Miana will continue her education at Morehead State and pursue a bachelor's degree.
