BELLINGHAM — Carol Heyser of Deming received her high school diploma at a commencement ceremony June 19.
Not so unusual, except that Heyser is a 62-year-old grandmother and the ceremony was at Whatcom Community College.
More than 40 years after she dropped out of high school — years filled with children, jobs, a marriage, a divorce, and a second marriage — Heyser can now check “yes” on paperwork that asks if she’s a high school graduate.
“I always felt stupid, I felt like I couldn’t accomplish anything,” she said. “I got a lot of satisfaction walking down, and wearing that cap and gown.”
People generally have three ways to earn their diploma after leaving high school. They can get a General Educational Development certificate by passing five subject-matter tests. They can take classes online.
Or, like Heyser, they can enroll in a “high school completion” program and take classes at a community college to satisfy their diploma requirements.
That option is ending soon at Whatcom C.C. In a budget move, the program will end after winter quarter 2010, said Patricia Onion, vice president for educational services.
However, under a new state law, students who earn an Associate’s Degree at a community or technical college will receive their high school diploma at the same time, if they don’t already have one.
In Heyser’s case, she took a class here and a class there over the decades, squeezing them in when family life and money allowed.
“Life takes over,” is how she put it.
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