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High school equivalence opens doors for new futures in Longmont

Saturday was an emotional evening for Longmont residents at Calvary Church, as the Open Door High School Equivalency program held a commencement ceremony for the class of 2021. Family and friends gathered to celebrate loved ones who earned their diplomas over the past year.

Saturday was an emotional evening for Longmont residents at Calvary Church, as the Open Door High School Equivalency program held a commencement ceremony for the class of 2021. Family and friends gathered to celebrate loved ones who earned their diplomas over the past year.

The Open Door program offers courses for earning a high school equivalency diploma, or HSED, for people who may not have completed high school or even attended high school. The U.S. High School Equivalency, or HiSet, program provides instruction on a condensed high school curriculum before adults take their tests to earn their HSED. The program is similar to a General Education Development test, or GED.

“There are so many reasons people want to get a GED. One is …because their job requires a diploma or people want to get better jobs. Others want to improve their self-esteem. We have students that have degrees in their home country and want to get them in the United States,” said Open Door Director Barbara Ulrich.

Some people dropped out of high school because they needed full-time work to support their families, she said. Many employers require a GED or high school diploma for employment beyond basic entry positions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment rates are higher for people with at least a high school diploma or equivalent — in March 2021, unemployment rates for those with high school diplomas was 6.7%, compared to 8.2% for those without.

Others immigrated from other countries and need to get the American equivalent of a degree from their home countries. Pursuing trade schools, community colleges or four-year universities also makes a high school diploma or GED a prerequisite to enrollment.

Ulrich said students who have gone through the Open Door program come from a diverse background. One student earned her diploma through the HiSet program and is now an accountant at  Front Range Community College, or FRCC. 

Ulrich shared an anecdote of a father who dropped out of high school and was running a successful business but finished his diploma when his daughter considered dropping out herself.

Language can also be a barrier to self-esteem and success, Ulrich explained. Many of the students at Open Door entered the program to study English as a Second Language, or ESL, to build their confidence and improve their opportunities to find work in the U.S., she said.

During Saturday’s presentation, Ulrich highlighted the commitment and impact of those students, many of whom work more than one job in addition to raising families. A former Open Door student and the new testing site supervisor for the program, Ana Nieto, shared her story with the people gathered.

Nieto immigrated to the U.S. in the late 90s, she explained, only speaking a little English. Nieto hoped for a new life but quickly faced a reality where opportunities were limited. She took a job at a cleaning company and forgot about her dreams as she focused on working and supporting her family. After refocusing her priorities, Nieto earned her GED, she explained.

Nieto met Ulrich while taking ESL classes at FRCC, she said. Ulrich encouraged Nieto to take the next step and pursue an associate’s degree at FRCC. Nieto said she was resistant at first, but was grateful for the experience and opportunities it gave her. Since then, Nieto encouraged her own children to pursue continued education with her own experiences to inspire them.

“Graduates, I tell you this is the beginning. You made an effort, you have worked hard and you have achieved it,” Nieto said. “Do not stop, do not allow anyone to cut your wings. Remember you have spectators at home, you can be an inspiration to others.”

Ulrich founded the Open Door program in 2015 with a focus on academic ESL classes, she said. Referring to herself as a “lifelong teacher.” Utilizing her experience and connections at FRCC along with the strength of volunteers and teachers, Open Door has continued to expand to serve hundreds of students, Ulrich said.

Open Door’s HiSet courses started in 2017, to offer an affordable program to help adults earn their diplomas through the Colorado Department of Education. Open Door is the only HiSet program of its kind north of Denver, Ulrich explained, with most similar programs only offered through community colleges. 

Students take a series of five eight-week courses covering mathematics, social studies, science, reading and writing. The majority of the classes are taught in Spanish, Ulrich said, but the program represents more than 50 languages and half of Open Door staff are bilingual. Saturday’s commencement ceremony was held in both English and Spanish, with translations given by Open Door HiSet Coordinator Susan Ramge and Mathematics Instructor Ys Botello.

Of the 15 students who completed the HiSet program in 2021, only seven were able to attend Saturday night’s commencement ceremony. One graduate set to give a speech was stuck in Colorado Springs that night, but Ulrich said finding a last minute replacement was easy, as two students — Karla Cardoza and Jose Gama — were eager to share their praise for the program.

Cardoza commended her fellow classmates on achieving their goals and thanked the teachers and volunteers for guiding them through more than education. The program has inspired her to keep up with her studies because there is always something else to learn, she added.

“It was more than just instruction. They motivated us, pushed us to go forward, instilled in us a habit of study and showed us how to think big. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here,” Cardoza said.

For Gama, a brush with COVID in April 2020 put him in the hospital for 11 days. The doctor caring for Gama told his niece there was a chance he could die, he was fortunate to pull through. Gama was ready for a change with his new lease on life, he said, and wanted to take some classes to improve his English.

Though originally only setting out to take ESL classes, Gama felt compelled to pursue the HiSet program as well. The experience was challenging, Gama said, but worth it to feel more accomplished. In his speech to his fellow graduates, Gama encouraged those yet to begin their studies to take the leap.

With his diploma in hand, Gama said he’s coming back to Open Door for more ESL classes. Currently a forklift driver, Gama was looking forward to using his diploma and new skills to earn better pay and further challenge himself.

The next registration for HiSet classes will take place on March 7. Questions about the program can be directed to Ulrich via email.