It was a high school graduation ceremony — in a public library. That was hard to believe.
Even the person who came up with the idea and supervised the group effort to make it happen found it hard to believe.
“I kept saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is happening,” said Kristen Sorth, director of St. Louis County Library.
She was reflecting after the library’s inaugural Career Online High School Graduation Class had crossed the impromptu stage erected in library headquarters, wearing gowns and mortar boards, and been handed their diplomas on Saturday, October 27.
Sorth was inspired to find a way for the library to help adults graduate from high school when she learned there are 90,000 adults over the age of 25 in the St. Louis region without high school diplomas.
Thanks to Sorth, library staff, the St. Louis County Library Foundation and other community partners, there are now 10 less.
Meet the St. Louis County Library Class of 2018.
Jessica Bishop wants to work in real estate. Angie Brown wanted to finish the education she had started. Kristopher Curtiss sees a high school diploma as a stepping stone. Erin Fendler believes it’s never too late to improve yourself. Tabatha Graham plans to pursue nursing. Nakeisha Lawson wants to develop a different narrative for herself. Brittany Robinson was encouraged by her kids. Pamela Timms was celebrated at the ceremony by family visiting from four states, including California.
Kierra Jones wept as she gave her salutatorian address. “The most important thing we all learned,” she said, “is that we all deserve a second chance.”
Jacoby Ford wept as she gave her valedictorian address. “It was hard,” she said, “but I did achieve it. We can finally go to jobs and say, ‘I have my high school diploma.’”
St. Louis Community College agrees. A representative from the college surprised them all with a scholarship for three free credit hours of college. Christopher Fletcher, manager of student admissions and registration at the college, praised the library for the “ingenuity” of its new program.
Sorth said her partner at Career Online High School had never seen a college offer any kind of scholarship to its new graduates – and that another community partner already is stepping up to make a similar offer to the next graduating class.
Having got a new taste of education, the graduates want more. There was much buzz at the ceremony and after party — a joyous affair full of children crying, “Mommy!” as they dove into the folds of a graduation gown — about what comes next.
Ricqui Brooks, who coordinates the new program for the library, told them she is still here to help.
“If you need help filling out college applications or financial aid forms,” Brooks said, “call me.”
As keynote speaker Yemi Akande-Bartsch, president and CEO of Focus St. Louis, told them, “This is just the beginning.”
The library has scholarships available for Career Online High School and encourages more people to apply. Interested students should apply at www.slcl.org/cohs or email cohs@slcl.org.
