News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee adults who have not graduated high school now have an opportunity to finish school and receive a high school diploma through the Dekalb County Diploma Completion Program.
The program is being offered through a partnership between the school system and Graduation Alliance. DeKalb County Director of Schools Patrick Cripps said he hopes the program will send a message to residents in DeKalb County that earning a high school diploma is better late than never.
“You’re never too old to learn,” Cripps said. “And I’ve always said you know setting goals for yourself always gives you motivation to get things accomplished and it just shows that education is important in DeKalb and it is not just a K-12 once you are 18 it’s over with. We do care about people getting their diplomas.”
The program provides online courses and a flexible schedule for those who may have a busy lifestyle. Cripps said the program will allow students to take the courses at their own pace.
“People may not have been able to finish it for various reasons,” Cripps said. “But this gives them an opportunity to take the credits they have earned in high school and apply it towards this virtual high school diploma.”
Cripps said receiving a high school diploma plays a huge role when applying for jobs.
“There are very few jobs out there that you can go into without a high school diploma,” Cripps said. “A lot of employers want to see that and see that you had some kind of training or some kind of skillset they can use to help solidify or make you a probable candidate for a job.”
The program is eligible for all residents in the state of Tennessee. Cripps said a majority of the people who have already signed up for the program have families and full-time jobs.
