Pike County, Jan 12, 2021 – With no choice but to drop out of school at the age of 16 more that 20 years ago, Paula (Moore) Rittenhouse can now say she has her Waverly High School diploma, just like the rest of her classmates who completed their coursework. With her husband, Ricky, watching, Rittenhouse
Diego had dreams of becoming a photographer. But in his sophomore year in high school, he was forced to leave school so that he could work to support his mother and younger brother. “My mom always wanted me to finish high school, so it was something I wanted to look after,” he said. “After a
Nobody tried to talk Staci out of leaving school before earning a diploma. And even if they had, she probably would have left anyway. She knew what it felt like to grow up without the support of her parents, and she didn’t want her siblings to have the same experience. “I had to grow up
De’jah didn’t have far to go. But when the COVID-19 pandemic closed her school, she was suddenly missing out on the support she was relying on to keep moving toward her graduation goal. “Honestly, I just wasn’t doing my work,” she said. “As soon as I started to not understand something, I felt discouraged and
The migraines began in Gracie’s junior year of high school. “It was really debilitating,” she said. “Sometimes it got so bad that I couldn’t walk and I couldn’t see straight. It made school really hard.” But Gracie didn’t want to quit. And her supporters at the Bellevue School District weren’t going to let her. “My
When Dustin Goldie talks about teaching, his voice rises and his face brightens. He loves being a teacher. But when Goldie was first put in charge of the brand new Kings Local School District employability program, in Kings Mill, Ohio, he worried that he might be spending a lot of time on curriculum. “It’s all
In today’s economy, a high school diploma is no longer the preferred credential — it’s an absolutely essential starting point. That’s why the Montgomery County Education Service Center has helped students from 14 districts in Western Ohio enroll in programs that provide a flexible and supportive path to achieving their high school diploma. This year
It’s been months since Ruby earned her diploma, but she still lets out a little laugh every time she looks at it. “It makes me so happy,” she said, “but, to be honest, it just all seemed too good to be true.” She had been out of school for more than 20 years when she
For as long as she can remember, Cheyenne has wanted to be a nurse. “Ever since middle school, and maybe before that even, it’s just something I really wanted to do,” said the former Pennsylvania resident, who is now living in Ohio. But before Cheyenne had the chance to finish high school, her plans had
Benjamin knew more doors would open to him with a high school diploma. But with a requirement to spend six hours per day at a place he didn’t want to be, he knew the traditional high school setting wasn’t for him. “It was a struggle,” he said. “I looked at getting a general education degree,