Middle school student balances athletics, academics, and college coursework while working toward college credentials.

MOBILE, Ala., March 11, 2026 – At just 14 years old, Bishop State Community College student Faith King is preparing to walk across the commencement stage — not as a high school senior, but as an eighth grader earning a college credential.

Faith, a student at Phillips Preparatory School, began taking classes at Bishop State when she was only 12 years old in seventh grade. What started as a summer opportunity quickly evolved into an extraordinary academic journey fueled by curiosity, discipline, and a genuine love of learning.

“I feel excited, and I’m very glad that I got the opportunity to be a student here,” Faith said.

Faith is earning a short certificate in General Studies and is already approximately 75 percent complete with her associate degree, something her mother says she could potentially finish as early as ninth grade.

While her achievement is remarkable, Faith still considers herself a typical teenager in many ways. She enjoys soccer, volleyball, basketball, National History Day activities, and spending time with friends. She also describes herself as a “foodie” who plans to celebrate graduation with her mother’s homemade red velvet cake and plenty of snacks.

Her mother, Dr. Tammy Dennis, is a biology instructor at Bishop State and says this journey began unexpectedly.

“This all started because of childcare in the summertime,” Dennis laughed. “I thought, ‘Well, this is better than camp.’ We started with two classes, and she kept going.”

According to Dennis, Faith’s early exposure to the college environment helped her mature academically and personally. She credits Bishop State faculty and staff for creating an encouraging experience that kept her daughter motivated.

“I think college became very real for her when she got to be here on campus with adults,” Dennis said. “Her first experience with Bishop State was positive, and that made all the difference.”

Faith says Bishop State allowed her to learn in a way that matched her personality and pace.

“I move very fast,” she explained. “I like to get all my work done early. Bishop State gave me the opportunity to work independently while still having teachers who were always there to help.”

She also praised the support she received from faculty members, especially psychology instructor Robert McWilliams, whose encouragement helped her stay confident throughout the process.

Despite balancing middle school coursework, athletics, extracurricular activities, and college classes, Faith says the experience never felt impossible.

“I enjoy learning new things,” she said. “This experience showed me I can do more than what I thought I could.”

Faith’s success story is also part of a larger family tradition. Her older sister, Charity King, completed her associate degree in 10th grade before eventually graduating from Auburn University with a degree in Biomedical Sciences and becoming a physical science teacher at Dunbar Middle School. Charity has recently started grad school.

Now, Faith hopes her story inspires others, especially students who may not realize what they are capable of accomplishing.

“I’d say take the chance,” she said. “Everybody is capable of doing more than they think they can do. This experience helped me realize that about myself.”

As she prepares to cross the stage at Bishop State’s commencement ceremony, Faith knows she will likely be the youngest graduate in the room — and possibly in school history. Still, she knows she earned her place there.

“Being an 8^th grader surrounded by adults and people older than me, it’s going to make me nervous, but it also gives me something to be proud of. I’m younger than all the people here and that probably could be considered a disadvantage, but I still doing the same things y’all are. Y’all can’t really act like I’m just a child,” she said with a smile. “I did the same thing everybody else did.”

While her journey is far from over, Faith says her experience at Bishop State has already given her more than college credentials. It has given her confidence, support, and a deeper belief in what she can accomplish.

“I am very thankful for all the classes I’ve taken,” Faith said. “I’m very thankful for all the help all of my teachers have given me. I’m very thankful for the people in admissions and advising for telling me everything I needed to know when I came here. I’m thankful for my mom’s support, but I’m really thankful for all of our teachers who have been supportive here.”

For Dr. Tammy Dennis, watching her daughter accomplish something so extraordinary has only reaffirmed what she has long believed about Bishop State.

“The motto has been, ‘Bishop State is a great place to start,’” Dennis said. “And it really is. It really is.”