Lodi library now offers online high school program for adults who never graduated
LODI — The Lodi Public Library has a new program for those who never received their high school diploma.
It's the place Amanda Ramos' son loves to go, but one day she spotted something just for her.
"I seen the pamphlet, and when I was 16, I got my GED. I never had the chance to get my high school diploma," Ramos said. "It was something for a long time I wanted to do."
It was information on the library's new Career Online High School program. She never got to graduate. She was on her own and had to work. To get in, Ramos had to take a prerequisite class and go through an interview.
Lois Meyer, a senior library assistant, said participants in the program can choose from nearly a dozen different career paths to get certified in.
Options include, but are not limited to, office management, home care, food and hospitality, and commercial driving. Ramos chose child care and education.
"It's very self-paced," she said. "You do have to finish a semester every two weeks, so you need to spend 1-2 hours a day on your laptop. As long as you do a little bit each day, it's actually not too bad."
This opened up a number of possibilities for Ramos and gave her the potential to earn more. She also got what she always wanted: a high school diploma.
"It was really exciting for everybody—the community, the staff, you, your family, your friends. It was a very joyous occasion," Meyer said. "We're just super proud of Amanda."
Ramos plans to home-school her children and start college classes in January.
"I've waited since I was 16 to get my high school diploma," Ramos said. "I never got to go to graduation, never got to do any of that. For me, it was like living back in the teenager years."