LIBRARY OFFERS HIGH SCHOOL COURSES FOR ADULTS

Hi, David. Happy Labor Day. So what can you tell us about this public library offering adults free education? Yeah, happy Labor Day to you as well, David. So about this public program, some individuals have circumstances where they couldn't complete high school or didn't have the chance to. Well, enter California State Library's Career Online High School. It has scholarship opportunities and a San Jose branch said it's never too late to start your dreams. With this program, adult students can earn accredited high school diplomas and career certificates. The library will also support them from enrollment all the way to graduation. This sounds wonderful, but are there any success stories? Yeah, of course. In San Jose Public Library's program in Silicon Valley, 10 students recently graduated in August. They're the living embodiment of never giving up. So one graduate was a mother who fled Colombia with her two young sons to come to the U.S. And she told local channel ABC7 that she worked two jobs while studying and it wasn't easy. But in the end, she said she had to continue for herself and to show her kids what education can do. Wow. What are the requirements to enroll? Well, applicants need to be 19 or older, live in San Jose, and, of course, have a library card in good standing. They also have to be willing to spend at least 8 to 10 hours a week on coursework. They also need to have completed the 8th grade and be comfortable reading, writing, and speaking in English, as well as using technology because this is an independent online program, which can be completed anywhere from 5 to 18 months depending on whether you're transferring previous course credit. So how do people get started if they're interested? Yeah, David, so people can visit ca.careeronlinehs.org to take an initial survey, and if all goes well, there will be a two-week prerequisite course and potential scholarship. And, David, since its launch in 2016, San Jose said there have been 165 adult learners who earned their diplomas and career certificates. David? All right, thank you so much for the information.