
Renato
Econa
and
Evan
Marshall,
12th
grade
students
at
Woodbridge
High
School,
faced
many
academic
challenges
in
their
11th-grade
dual
enrollment
English
course.
The
two
embraced
these
challenges,
though,
and
that
eventually
led
their
work
to
publication.
For
a
class
assignment,
students
had
to
examine
a
rhetorical
term
by
researching
its
usage
and
development
over
time,
and
then
apply
it
to
two
horror
texts.
Expanding
on
their
original
papers,
Econa
and
Marshall
drafted
research
essays,
which
were
recently
published
in
academic
journals.
Econa's
essay
titled
"Lessons
from
horror:
The
rejections
and
failures
of
arete"
is
in
The
Virginia
English
Journal,
and
Marshall's
essay
titled
"Outsmarting
monsters
and
murderers:
An
examination
of
Metis
in
horror
literature"
is
in
the
Undergraduate
Research
Journal.
With
the
flexibility
granted
in
dual
enrollment
courses,
allowing
students
to
explore
concepts
interesting
to
them,
Econa
and
Marshall
found
success.
English
teacher
Kyle
Trott
designs
assignments,
including
this
one,
to
encourage
students
to
succeed.
"That's
something
that
I
enjoy
about
the
dual
class
and
teaching
it
is
that
we
have
opposite
sides
of
the
[academic]
spectrum.
They
can
both
do
that
same
stuff,"
said
Trott.
"My
pedagogical
purpose
is
just
to
get
[students]
to
recognize
one
that
they
have
a
voice.
It's
a
powerful
voice,
and
it
is
something
that
they
can
employ."
While
the
course
set
them
up
for
success,
it
was
ultimately
Trott
who
motivated
the
students
to
further
their
work.
Econa
and
Marshall
agreed
they
would
not
have
made
it
as
far
without
his
support.
"I'm
just
glad
Mr.
Trott
motivated
me
because
I
would
have
never
thought
of
submitting
my
essays
or
anything,"
said
Marshall.
Trott
saw
growth
in
these
students
from
their
reading
to
writing,
perseverance
to
character.
As
an
educator,
he
was
wowed
by
their
efforts
and
proud
of
their
accomplishments.
"You
know,
I
just
tried
to
get
out
of
their
way
as
much
as
possible
and
let
them
realize
that
they
have
so
much
potential
and
power
and
energy
to
do
a
lot,"
said
Trott.
"I
was
thrilled
and
blown
away
by
their
publications
and
their
ability
to
do
that."