Last month, 48-year-old Wanda Sanders accomplished a decades-long goal when she received her high school diploma, thanks in part to the New Orleans Public Library.  

“I’ve tried a few times over the years, but as a single mother, the household and my children always came first,” Sanders said. “I have a set of twin boys and a set of twin girls, and I always pushed my kids because I wanted them to have what I didn’t have. They all graduated high school and went off to college, and I’m very proud of them. But, getting my high school degree was always something I needed to do in order to be proud of myself, too.” 

Sanders earned her diploma, with a focus on early childhood development, from Career Online High School after receiving a scholarship from the New Orleans Public Library. She learned about the program through her husband, Naimullah Abdullah, who also attended Career Online High School with a Library scholarship.  

“We got married last year and at our wedding, he asked me what goals I want to achieve in my life and how he could help me achieve them. When I told him that I wanted to get my high school diploma, he said, ‘Well, let me tell you what I did. When I was 65 years old, I achieved my high school diploma and I went through the public library,’” Sanders explained. “And I was like, ‘What? The Library?’” 

Sanders said she never would have thought to look to the Library for help getting an education, but took her husband’s advice. Within a few weeks, she was enrolled in Career Online High School and on her way to finally getting her high school diploma for free. Ten months later, Sanders finished the program, much to her surprise and relief. 

“I thought I was way behind, but all of a sudden, I was almost done,” she said, crediting her success to the support of her family, her husband, and her Career Online High School academic coach. 

“I’ve tried to go back to school in the past, but it’s never worked out for me. But this time was different. My coach was excellent. She’d get on my case if I started slacking, but she was also there praising me, and encouraging me, and helping me through topics I was struggling with. I give her the most props, and I think what probably made the biggest difference for me this time around was having her be there for me,” Sanders said. 

Abdullah said his experience with the program was similarly positive and that his academic coach was also vital to his success. After dropping out of high school when he was 17 years old, Abdullah said he took his GED a few years later but did not pass the math section. Promising himself he’d try again later, Abdullah said the years passed by without issue and getting his diploma was put on the back burner. 

“I never really had a problem with it. I got a job and made a career, but it was always something I wanted to do,” he said.

At 65 years old, Abdullah heard about the Library’s Career Online High School scholarships and figured there was no time like the present.

“I finished the program on February 22, 2020. It was something I always wanted to do, my whole life, and I finally did it,” Abdullah said. “I put it off for all those years, and I only wish I had thought to look at the Library sooner. I wouldn’t have waited so long if I knew.”