Second chance at a high school diploma
LaMona Lemarr will never forget the moment a woman plopped down on the classroom floor and sobbed.
The 40-something wife and grandma had just passed the math test needed to earn her high school diploma — a goal she was pursuing for herself.
“She was given an opportunity, and she wasn’t going to waste it,” said Lemarr, an Opportunity High School Diploma instructor.
Now in its second year at San Jacinto College, the Opportunity High School Diploma program gives adults who have never completed high school the chance to earn a diploma alongside a career certificate.
But to Lemarr, it’s more than two credentials. It’s a chance to take control of a future that seemed out of reach.
Getting a second chance
Lemarr understands the power of second chances herself. After managing restaurants for two decades, she turned to the education field for more stable hours.
When the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board asked Texas colleges to help develop
the new Opportunity High School Diploma program, Lemarr helped write the competencies,
assessments, and curriculum.
Thanks to that roots-level involvement, she became one of San Jac’s two instructors when the program launched in fall 2025.
The experience has renewed Lemarr’s appreciation for adult learners.
“It’s given me a newfound passion for human resilience,” she said.
Rewriting the story
Students in the program range from late teens to 50s. Some left high school before graduating. Others found out they couldn’t register for college because their high school program wasn’t accredited.
“They’re getting to rewrite a story they didn’t have control over,” Lemarr said. “Or maybe they made the wrong choice, but they’re getting a second chance.”
Three cohorts — about 45 students total — have already completed the program, which lasts about three months.
Students assess at the beginning and end of the program to determine their proficiency for a diploma. Lemarr and fellow instructor Camryn Goodman teach civics, communication skills, math, scientific reasoning, and workplace success skills through online classes, while students pursue face-to-face training in CompTIA A+, EKG technician, medical office professional, or certified nurse aide programs.
They’re getting to rewrite a story they didn’t have control over. Or maybe they made the wrong choice, but they’re getting a second chance.
Balancing jobs and families while navigating online classes can challenge any student, so both instructors respond with flexibility and grace. They offer check-in times, additional resources, and flexibility when students need to test outside a scheduled time. Lemarr also shares about her past struggles with math.
“I teach math from the perspective of someone who struggled,” she said. “We lead with standards and guidelines but also a lot of grace. That’s why it’s been successful, and that’s how students connect with us.”
The approach has also helped students persist.
“Getting a diploma is one thing, but getting a diploma, a certificate, and balancing life is another,” Lemarr said. “Seeing their motivation gives me a lot of hope as an educator.”
That resilience has translated into real opportunities. One student got a job as a medical office professional while completing the program. Another became a certified nurse aide at her current workplace. Yet another sent Lemarr a photo of her acceptance letter into a San Jac degree program.
“Not everyone has to go to college to be successful,” Lemarr said. “But a high school diploma gives you the ability to make choices and to move up. That changes your life.”
Sinking in
Lemarr counts graduation as her favorite moment.
Nervously adjusting mortar boards, graduates file into a small auditorium at Central Campus packed with family and friends. When each one’s turn comes to walk across the stage, loved ones cheer while waving bouquets — or blink away tears while recording on their phones.
For graduates, their achievement often doesn’t sink in until that moment.
“They don’t realize it’s a big deal until they realize it’s a big deal,” Lemarr said.
For her, participating in the graduation is its own kind of second chance — an opportunity to give others what education has given her.
“You’re worth the price,” Lemarr tells her students. “You have to walk into the room feeling like you deserve to be here.”
Is Opportunity High School Diploma for you?
What is it?
Who's eligible?
Is it the same as a GED?
Learn more
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020 and 2026. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
