Football in Texas, like politics, is a contact sport. Love it or loathe it, the sport involves the physical impact that one player (a defensive tackle, for instance) can have on another (the running back, for instance).
While football is all about physical force and impact, what we do in our work at ACC is about a different sort of force and impact. Here is a nice article from the Austin American-Statesman about a football player at LBJ (middle linebacker Lamael Hicks) that illustrates my point. 
When asked which of his high school courses would benefit him the most after graduation, Lamael replied this way:
“I would say the Early College Program, which allows students like myself to enroll into (Austin Community College) and get a chance to earn college credits while still taking high school classes at the same time.”
When asked about his future plans, Lamael had this to say:
“I’ll be going to a four-year university and major in wildlife biology and minor in architecture.”
Early College High Schools – like football – are all about intentionally directed force and impact. We enter into partnerships with area high schools that serve students who are less likely to go to college. The goal is to reduce barriers to college access and support greater equity in pursuing the benefits of a postsecondary credential. We all believe that education is the doorway to a good and fruitful life. And our work in Early College High Schools is one illustration of that belief.
Raise a glass to the impact of education. And wish Lamael luck in his pursuit of his dreams.