When a student has reached the age of 16, they have the individual right to drop out of school. Every now and then, some do.

However, students don’t always completely leave the education system. They have the opportunity to go to the Learning Center to finish their schooling.

According to former student Nicholas Silva, the environment between the public high school and the Learning Center differ greatly.

The students go to the center between 8:00 a.m. and noon. Depending on the amount of work they have completed, they can stay or leave earlier if they have set that time with the instructor.

“I can go whenever I want. I can leave whenever I want,” said Silva. “The teachers give you plenty of freedom.”

Students don’t have to worry about passing period because it is held in only one room. While there are teachers there, the students use the computers all day on a software called Edgenuity.

Silva explained how much faster he can get his work done there because it is all focused on one computer program. He said he had already completed all of his elective courses at Hays High and just has to finish up his senior core classes.

Former student, Jake Pfannenstiel, dropped out of high school as a sophomore and said he is catching up to the point he could graduate high school with this year’s senior class.

Pfannenstiel has completed a semester of history in two weeks and a semester of math in three weeks. He is 50 percent done with his second semester of math, and he is still making progress on his English course.

Despite “dropping out”, both Silva and Pfannenstiel will receive the same exact diploma that a student attending Hays High would receive.

Silva said he enjoys going to the Learning Center more than Hays High.

“They provide you with food and coffee,” Silva said. “It’s just a nice environment.”

18hdonaldson@usd489.com