The Class of 2012 will gain 20 more students to its roster when a group of underclassmen reach their goal of graduating early in May.

Sixteen-year old James Futrell is one of these students planning to graduate early. “My father is retiring from the military,” Futrell said, “and I don’t want to spend only one year in a new high school.”

Futrell’s post high school plans include attending either a two-year college or four-year university after graduating from high school. Although his first choice school is a university in Florida, he isn’t quite ready to jinx it by sharing where he hopes to attend.

In order to graduate in May, some challenges Futrell faced included taking extra classes online and balancing his school work and sports.

Seventeen-year-old Annie Huynh is also an underclassman who plans to graduate in May. She said that she looks forward to graduating early because “I started school early a lifetime ago.”

Although a degree is in her plans, Huynh said, “My plan is to start college life at Kapiolani Community College for at least three years. In the meantime, get a job that can fill my weekends. Then, if I think I’m ready, I will fly to California for the Academy of Arts and aim for a bachelor’s degree or higher in game illustration and design.”

Seventeen-year-old Eldon Manning is also in line to graduate early. “I am here at Radford due to a foul up,” he said. “I used to live on the isle of Molokai, where I was taking classes from Brigham Young University. I had already finished my freshman year and I was nearly done with my sophomore year of high school, when my family moved to O’ahu. The Department of Education didn’t accept my credits and I was forced to redo several years. Rather than be stuck in high school, I decided to graduate early.”

Although Manning said that he has open enrollment status to most colleges nation-wide, including Harvard, he said, “Post high school, I will probably move out to Texas. I am also intending to serve a two year mission for my church when I turn 19.”

While Futrell, Huynh, and Manning are eager to graduate, they all agree on the same thing.

“What I’ll miss the most are my friends from my original graduated class,” Futrell said.

“Friends,” Huynh said. “Definitely.”

“I’ve made a lot of friends in high school and it is sad to have to leave,” Manning said, “especially as others graduate and go their separate ways.”

College counselor Mrs. Malia Kau said that this group of underclassmen is working really hard to graduate in May.

However, she cautions others who may follow their lead. “Don’t decide to graduate early at the last minute,” as she cites an example of a student taking 10 credits, “because it can get overwhelming.”