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Student credits Lawton Public Schools’ free program for completing diploma after a decade away
Summary
A student in Lawton said the district’s free, self‑paced re‑engagement program helped her finish her high school diploma after about 10 years away; she praised staff support and said she plans to pursue nursing.
A student who completed Lawton Public Schools’ free re‑engagement program said the district’s offering let her finish a high school diploma she put off for about a decade and set her on a path to nursing.
The student (Presenter) told an interviewer she first found the program on Lawton Public Schools’ Facebook page and chose it over pursuing a GED after learning she needed only a small number of credits. "It was completely free, which is a big reason why it's taken me 10 years to get my high school diploma or GED," she said.
The program’s flexibility mattered to the student, who described it as self‑paced and video‑based. She said staff responses were prompt and singled out a staff member, Jennifer, for answering emails "in a timely manner" despite a busy schedule. She also credited family support—her husband, her mother and her mothers‑in‑law—as essential to completing the work.
Asked what pushed her to start now, the student said her children were the main motivation and that she wants to become a nurse. She described about a decade of uncertified CNA work and said the diploma is a step toward further training: "I've done CNA work, uncertified off and on for 10 years ish, so I'm ready to go further."
She described the moment of walking across the graduation stage as deeply emotional. "I'm gonna cry," she said, adding she might "collapse to my knees" because finishing will lift a "very big weight" she has carried for years. The interviewer closed with a message to current and prospective students, urging focus and perseverance: "As long as you stay focused and never give up, you will succeed."
The account highlights the role of district outreach (a Facebook post), a no‑cost, self‑paced format, and individual staff support in helping an adult learner return to finish high school. Lawton Public Schools and program staff were not quoted directly in the transcript and were not identified by full name beyond the staff member Jennifer referenced by the student.
The student’s graduation is referenced as part of the Class of 2026 remarks in the interview; no formal administrative actions, votes, or funding details were recorded in the transcript.
