179 graduates honored by Independent Study High School

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Independent Study High School held its annual commencement ceremony and reception June 13 to honor its worldwide graduating class of 2007-08. Five students from Nebraska attended the ceremony, with 174 other graduates recognized from around the world.

Graduates attending the commencement included:

* Louis Hesse from Lincoln, who plans to attend UNL to major in computer science;
* Joshua McKain from West Point, who will be working in home construction;
* Sarah Montey from Lincoln, who will attend Southeast Community College in the fall to study business marketing.
* Mollie Orman from Lincoln, who will be attending Southeast Community College with plans to transfer to UNL to major in business administration; and
* Gwyneth Tally from Crete, who plans to attend UNL in the fall majoring in international studies and music;

In the Independent Study High School, the students work independently to complete requirements for their high school diplomas. At the ceremony, Lisa Bourlier, associate principal of the Independent Study High School, presented the graduating class. M. Colleen Jones, assistant to the chancellor for organizational development at UNL, addressed the graduates and awarded diplomas.

Students reflected on their experience with the program, noting that the chance to meet each other in person was a great opportunity. International graduates not attending represented 33 states and 22 countries, including Greece, Japan, Serbia-Montenegro, New Zealand, Nigeria and the Philippines.

More than 4,000 students have received their diplomas through the Independent Study High School since it began offering them in 1968. The program began in 1929.

Students throughout the world also use the program to supplement study at their high schools by taking individual courses. The self-paced and open enrollment format of the program allows students to accelerate their learning, alleviate scheduling conflicts and achieve credit recovery for graduation. High schools often use Independent Study High School courses as part of their curriculum offerings when faced with teacher shortages and limited resources.

The Independent Study High School offers more than 80 self-paced high school courses in core, elective and Advanced Placement areas. Accredited by NCA CASI, the Nebraska Department of Education, and the Commission on International and Trans-regional Accreditation, the ISHS has more than 3,000 students in more than 100 countries enrolled at any given time. The ISHS is a program of the Office of Extended Education and Outreach, the distance education arm of UNL offering high school, undergraduate, graduate and non-credit programs and services. For more information about the program, contact the ISHS at (866) 700-4747, (402) 472-2175) or visit http://nebraskahs.unl.edu.

The link below is to a color JPEG image of Jones and the five graduates who attended the ceremony. Pictured from left are Jones, Montey, Tally, Orman, Hesse and McKain.