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On Friday, Tristen Culton was one of 394 students walking across the stage at George Rogers Clark Cardinal Stadium to receive her diploma.

She also had a unique accomplishment to her name.

After studying at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Culton became the first George Rogers Clark High School graduate also to have an Associate of Arts Degree.

She received the degree during Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s commencement ceremony on May 6.

“It feels amazing,” Culton said. “I’m beyond proud and excited that I got to be the first to do this. To see the hard work pay off [has] been so rewarding.”

Culton has won her fair share of accolades throughout high school – including recently being presented by the Daughters of the American Revolution with a Good Citizenship Award due to qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism.

She also had the opportunity to speak in front of the Rotary Club this past winter.

Beginning her junior year, she started taking courses at BCTC through the then-newly implemented dual-credit program.

Playing a significant role in establishing connections to make sure the classes could be taken were George Rogers Clark High School Principal Jamie Keene, Bluegrass Community and Technical College Winchester Campus Director Bruce Manley  and other staff from educational institutions.

“Let’s just say God opened the door for me, and I took it,” Culton said. “That is with thanks to the BCTC staff, and Mr. Keene at GRC…all the counselors at GRC [and others]. They have been super supportive. They’ve been for this every step of the way…I’m so, so grateful for everything they’ve done.”

To obtain her Associate of Arts Degree, Culton took various classes such as sign language, algebra, a science lab and AP courses.

While the work could be challenging, it was a task that the two-time graduate was prepared for.

“It definitely took a lot of time and a lot of time management, but…I knew going into high school that if I took college classes, it would be worth it,”  Colton said. “You’re saving [by] not taking those classes twice.”

Yet for Culton, arts was the path she saw for herself in the future.

Having been inspired by her church band and shows such as “The Voice” from a young age, she plans to study music performance at Belmont University in Nashville this fall. Her main emphasis will be guitar, though she also intends to study drums later.

“I took every music class BCTC offers because I just love music,” Culton said. “It’s definitely been something that I’ve grown into and loved my whole life.”

Culton also has a background in dance, including teaching clogging classes at the Studio One School of Dance on Bypass Road.

While the senior looks forward to her upcoming experiences at school in Nashville, she is thankful that she had an opportunity to enjoy her time at GRC as well.

“What I’ve enjoyed the most…is being able to efficiently [take] these college classes, but still be a part of my high school community and still be connected to my hometown, and be involved,” she said.