BUNKER HILL, Ill. — Bunker Hill Community Unit School District #8 was officially recognized for its outstanding commitment to student opportunity and regional educational collaboration during Lewis and Clark Community College’s annual State of the Trailblazer Nation address on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Held at the college’s main campus in Godfrey, the event brings together regional civic leaders, educators, and community partners to highlight transformative initiatives across the district. Bunker Hill CUSD #8 was highlighted for its proactive approach in bridging rural K-12 education with post-secondary opportunities, ensuring local students have direct pathways to higher education and workforce readiness as well as greater odds of post-secondary success.
(above: Dr. Ken Trzaska, President of Lewis & Clark Community College speaks at Annual State of the Trailblazer Nation)
The recognition underscores Bunker Hill CUSD #8’s expanding early college programs, dual-credit offerings, and career-technical partnerships developed in tandem with Lewis & Clark. By leveraging these shared resources, the small rural district has significantly increased the number of high school students graduating with college credits and industry-recognized credentials before receiving their high school diplomas. College leadership praised the district’s administration and faculty for creating an innovative educational framework that proves geographic location is no barrier to rigorous, high-level academic access. Specifically, the college recognized Bunker Hill #8 for piloting a program called the “Power of 15” in which qualifying 11th and 12th graders could earn up to 15 hours of college credit while concurrently enrolled in high school at no cost. Research suggests that students with access to 5 or more rigorous college courses while in high school are 22 points more likely to experience post-secondary success, according to Good Reason Houston. According to this research, students taking five or more advanced courses had the strongest impact. Graduates who took five or more advanced courses in high school were predicted to be 22 percentage points more likely to attain credentials than those who took fewer advanced courses, leading to higher wages. (https://goodreasonhouston.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GoodReasonHouston_Postsecondary_Report_January2025.pdf)
"Partnering with Lewis & Clark Community College allows us to offer our students world-class opportunities right here in our community but leading to both short-term and long-term community gains," said Bunker Hill CUSD #8 Superintendent Dr. Todd Dugan. "We look forward to deepening our collaboration with L&C to prepare our students for college, careers, and lifelong success."
About Bunker Hill CUSD #8 Bunker Hill CUSD #8 is a public rural school district located in Macoupin County, Illinois, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across Wolf Ridge Education Center and Bunker Hill High School. The district is dedicated to fostering academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement. For more information, visit https://www.bhcusd.org or follow on Facebook and Instagram @bhcusd_8