County Library High celebrates record class of 40 graduates

Graduating classes from Library High School program at Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Oct. 14, 2021, at Balboa Park.
Graduating classes from 2019, 2020 and 2021 from the Library High School program at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Oct. 14, 2021, at Balboa Park.
(Ariana Drehsler)

The program allows adults to earn a high school diploma online

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More than 30 graduates received diplomas Thursday night at an atypical graduation ceremony.

The San Diego County Library High School, an online adult education program offered by San Diego County for students age 18 and older, held its largest ceremony so far.

The event, at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, included graduates from three classes — fall 2019 students who finished school after that year’s graduation ceremony, 2020 grads whose ceremony was delayed by the pandemic, and 2021’s graduating class.

About 14 percent of adults in the county do not have high school diplomas. Launched in 2016, the County Library High School program provides a path for older students to earn high school diplomas at their own pace through a free online program.

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A total of 37 students earned diplomas and 33 participated in the ceremony. They ranged from 18 to over 50 years old, county officials said.

“Over the course of the program we have had young adults who were looking for a different way to finish school to grandparents who want to set a good example for their grandkids,” county spokesman Gig Conaughton said.

San Marcos resident Stephanie Flores, 29, enrolled in the program in fall 2020, completed it this spring, and graduated Thursday.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, she said she had a difficult upbringing and gave up on school at an early age.

“Growing up, I used to live in the projects in a hard living style,” she said. “There was always gunshots. I ended up hanging out with the wrong crowd, ditching, cutting classes, not going to school.”

She didn’t graduate from her regular high school but went to work as a caregiver for seniors with disabilities or Alzheimer’s. She also plays an active role with her cousin’s children, driving them to school, soccer and volleyball practice and other activities.

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She wasn’t eager to return to school until recently, she said, when her fiancee, a special education teacher, encouraged her to earn her degree.

“My fiancee is a teacher now; she has her degree for that,” Flores said. “She was the one who said ‘You need to go back to school. Do it for yourself and for your cousin’s kids. It’s never too late to go back to school and finish something.’”

Stephanie Flores, a student at Library High School program walks on stage to receive herhigh school diploma at Balboa Park
Stephanie Flores a student from the Library High School program walks on stage to receive her high school diploma at Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Oct. 14, 2021, at Balboa Park.
(Ariana Drehsler)

Flores searched online for high school degree programs and found County Library High School through a referral from Palomar College.

Students are accepted year-round and have five to 18 months to complete the online courses. Each student is assigned an academic coach to guide them through the program.

Flores liked its flexible structure and self-paced curriculum, which allowed her to fit classes into her work and family schedule. The virtual learning program also enabled her to earn a degree while most schools were closed and students were learning remotely during the pandemic.

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“The fact that I was able to do it at my own pace and in my own home and not go anywhere,” Flores said. “Because of COVID I did it online. It was something flexible for my hours at work too. If I needed any assistance, there was someone there to help me out, other than my fiancee.”

Unlike many adult education programs that award general education diplomas, known as GEDs, Library High awards actual high school diplomas, which are the preferred credential for many colleges and employers.

Recipients of a GED earn a diploma by taking tests that measure mastery of high school subjects. Library High graduates must complete the required high school coursework.

Since 2016 the program has grown from a single branch library in El Cajon to one available at all 33 county library branches, said Melissa Solis, the Adult Services manager for San Diego County Library, who has managed the program since 2018.

“The students come from just about every community we serve — from Del Mar and Poway to El Cajon and Borrego Springs,” Solis said. “We see the strength and promise in everyone who wants to pursue an education.”

San Diego residents are eligible for County Library High School. Prospective students can apply online and take a prerequisite course to see if online learning would work for them and then undergo a virtual interview before acceptance.

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Students at their high school graduation ceremony from Library High School program at Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park
Students during their high school graduation ceremony from the Library High School program at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Oct. 14, 2021, at Balboa Park.
(Ariana Drehsler)