At the April 9th City Council meeting, Mayor Singer presented a proclamation declaring it (April 7 - 13) National Library Week in the City. In celebration of the presentation, Ba’Theicia Bennett was recognized as the very first recipient of the Boca Raton Public Library's Career Online High School (COHS) program, a program that offers residents the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and credentialed career certificate. Recognized as the first accredited private online school district, COHS is specifically designed to re-engage adults, ages 19 and older, into the education system and prepare them for postsecondary career education or the workforce. Boca Raton Library Services also offers a limited number of scholarships, allotted by the State of Florida, to qualified learners who enroll in the COHS program.
Be’Theicia was one of the first scholarship recipients through COHS and the very first graduate. She started the online program in September 2018 and completed it in February 2019. Since then, Be’Theicia has already enrolled in college and plans on pursuing a career in education.
To be considered for the program, applicants must complete an online self-assessment and in-person interview with library staff. Once enrolled, COHS pairs each student with an Academic Coach. Students are able to graduate in as little as six months by transferring in previously earned high school credits but are given up to 18 months to complete the program.
The COHS program includes the following:
- Online classes for up to 18 months
- Flexible 24/7 coursework
- An individual career plan
- Ongoing guidance and encouragement from Academic Coach
- A performance evaluation
- Resources needed to demonstrate mastery of the course material
- Career certificate in 1 of 8 high-demand careers such as office management, commercial transportation, food and hospitality, and certified security officer
Currently, there are 7 students enrolled in the program and 2 students are more than halfway to completion and both are expected to graduate either later this year or early 2020 at the latest.
In order to qualify, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 19 years or older
- Must have a Boca Raton Library card
- Must have completed at least one year of high school.
The enrollment period for this year ends on May 1. Boca Raton Library Services hopes to offer the program with the next enrollment period beginning in September 2019. To learn more about the Career Online High School or how to enroll, please visit the Boca Raton Public Library or call Joleen Capella at 561-393-7902.
