I became a High School Graduate twenty years ago today. My diploma has today's date on it but I didn't actually receive it until two weeks later on July the 5th. I dropped out of High School in 1986 but years later, I took a High School correspondence course through the mail with ICS (International Correspondence Schools). A few people thought that what I received was a GED. It's not a GED. It's a regular High School diploma.

While I took the correspondence course, I never once failed. That made me proud. The lowest grade that I received was an 80. ICS put out an Honor Roll a few times each year. Because my grades were so good, my name appeared on the Honor Roll at least four times.

I began taking the correspondence course in April of 1993 and I graduated twenty-six months later. When I began, I remember that I was in a hurry to study Science. Luckily, Science was the second subject that ICS required its students to study. Studying and getting passing grades at this school was no easy task but I did succeed.

When I dropped out of High School nearly thirty years ago, it was a mistake. But when I dropped out, I promised myself that I would one day graduate. I'm happy and very proud that I kept that promise. If you are in High School, don't make the same mistake that I made. Don't drop out.