Hannah Pearson, 17, is a college junior with a goal to become a licensed teacher in just two years. She just moved in to begin classes at UNC Pembroke.
Pearson said her favorite past time is learning.
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"Because I just love to learn new information and just explore, learning many things," said Pearson.
Her love for learning helped her graduate early from Fairmont High School, where her mom has been a teacher for 28 years.
Miranda McNair described her daughter, saying, "She is self-driven. Even into foreign languages. She [says], oh, I want to learn a new language, so she’ll learn Korean, learn Spanish and learn Portuguese."
Starting in 10th grade, Hannah took advantage of North Carolina’s Career and College Promise Program.
Melissa Singler, president of Robeson Community College said, "It’s a free program which makes education very affordable for students. They can graduate from both high school and college at the same time."
The program allowed Pearson to earn 60 college credits — and a challenge she eagerly took advantage of.
"I believe you can do anything you put your mind to," she said. "It doesn’t matter how well the next person does it. The only thing that matters is you and your drive."
Pearson is majoring in elementary education at UNC Pembroke.
Her father, Brian McNair, said his daughter has a competitive nature. Pearson became an inspiration for her father, who had never finished college.
"I can’t tell her to do something, to go after something that I haven’t achieved myself … so I got back into school at UNC Pembroke," he said. "I finished my bachelor’s degree in May."
He gives all the credit to Hannah.
"I am very, very, very, very — I think I’ve told her three times this morning and maybe all weekend — proud of her. God has given her a platform to show other kids that this is achievable."
The CCP Program is for high school students who meet certain academic criteria. Courses at their local community college help them earn transferable college credit or take courses leading to a career focused certificate or diploma.