SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- At Libertas Academy, the question for most students isn’t whether they’ll get into college. Rather, it’s which one they’ll choose.

Seniors Elijahnique Challenger and Eleanor Lavoie have shattered college expectations. Between the two of them, they have nearly 40 colleges to choose from. “Honestly, I didn’t think I would get to this point in life. I was just really happy for myself,” Challenger said.

Both are part of only the second graduating class at Libertas Academy, with 96 percent of the graduating class getting into college. “I felt very accomplished with myself and I felt like my future will be a big success seeing as, right now, my life is already being successful and schools are accepting me because they see that I’m worthy enough for the acceptance,” Lavoie said.

Instead of it being a competition between students, they built a support system. “I’m happy for like everybody, everybody that’s getting into college, whether if they’re on five, whether they’re on 15, you know, they still accomplish, they still are successful, and I’m really proud of everybody at this school,” Challenger added.

Along the way, they built up their confidence to apply anywhere, no matter the outcome. “So whether you get deferred, denied, it’s still a way to show that, oh, I took the initiative to apply there, knowing there was a chance that I was not going to make it, but I still took that chance,” Lavoie explained.

“You know, just keep going. Keep pushing. Don’t give up. Hold your head up high. If you need a minute, take that minute, and then you get back up again,” Challenger noted.

Libertas college counselors play a critical role in building a culture where success is expected. Students have shifted their mindset from “I want to go to college” to “I am going to college.”

“When you ask the students where they wanted to do this interview, they wanted to do it here because, like, the people in this room know everything about their goals and, like, push and support them every day,” said Alexandra Steinhauer, dean of college. “And to come into the school and feel like, ‘Oh, I’m here because I’m expected to do great things with my life’ like, it changes a lot…it builds a culture around…we are excellent here and we will go to college and we will be able to choose our future and I think that’s just really powerful.”

Neither student has chosen a school yet. Challenger hopes to major in biology with hopes of a pre-med track to become a pediatrician. Lavoie plans to pursue nursing with hopes of becoming a neonatal nurse and also has her eye on journalism.

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