By Christian Coffman

NATCHEZ — Natchez Early College Academy is moving this year, but not to the campus originally planned as its new home.

Instead of moving to the Alcorn State University’s Natchez campus, NECA students will move across the street to the Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

NECA Principal Kesha Broady-Campbell said the decision was made out of safety concerns for students.

“We will not be utilizing the Alcorn campus, there were some safety issues with students crossing the street to get lunch,” Broady-Campbell said.

Co-Lin Vice President Teresa Busby said having students stay on a single campus was safer than having them cross between schools throughout the day.

“There’s really not a safe place for them to walk. All of the NECA students are going to be on the Co-Lin campus, so they don’t have to cross the road or be outside during inclement weather,” Busby said. “It’s just much safer to have them housed in one place all day instead of having them go back and forth.”The school plans to move its students to a college campus, so they can have more access to academic resources to prepare them for college.

Last year, juniors and seniors traveled to Co-Lin for half a day.

“This second year (with NECA) we’re just moving onto the second stage of the plan, and that’s to bring the freshman and sophomore students onto the campus,” Busby said.

Broady-Campbell said NECA is tentatively scheduled for orientation at Co-Lin on July 24. Students will be on campus from 8 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Eight teachers and one adjunct teacher are set to teach alongside the Co-Lin instructors.

Busby said Co-Lin welcomes the opportunity to continue to work with the school district.

“We’ve had such a positive experience with our first year of partnership with the early college,” she said. “This gives (students) a great jumpstart to their college careers.”