The Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) is a full-time, dual credit, early college program designed exclusively for Washington State Running Start (juniors and seniors in high school) students. Students in ORCA are together as a cohort for two years, at the end of which they will earn an Associate’s Degree in Arts and Sciences from Everett Community College and a high school diploma from their sponsoring high school. In just four years of operation, ORCA at Everett Community College has become a model of success in education reform, particularly in the use of real-world science as the platform for inquiry-based learning. As the early college initiative garners national attention (Hoffman and Vargas 2007), ORCA’s powerful teaching and learning serves as a replicable model for both community colleges and high schools, as any regional focus can provide opportunities for in-depth study and community engagement.