At 19, Julius Hall has big dreams of joining the U.S. Air Force. There is just one thing standing in his way: a high school diploma.
Before enrolling at Ector County Acceleration Academies in June 2024, that dream seemed out of reach. Julius struggled with dyslexia in his previous, traditional high school, which made it challenging for him to read, write and spell without the proper accommodations.
“I’m a little different from other kids where I need a little more help, Julius explains. “Traditional school didn’t really get me my help.”
He also says that, because he didn’t feel supported in his classes, he fell in with the wrong crowd and would often skip class to hang out with friends.
Eventually, Julius dropped out of high school credit-deficient with plans to pursue his GED, a high school equivalency test for people who were unable to finish high school. If passed, the test demonstrates that the test-takers have the same knowledge and skills as someone who completed traditional high school.
The only problem was, when he tried to enroll in GED classes to help him prepare for the test, all the classes were full.
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Julius confided in his Air Force recruiter who told him that, in his opinion, he could still go back to high school to get his diploma.
So, that’s what Julius decided to do. He and his mom began looking for alternative high school options in Odessa, Texas, where they live, and found their way to Ector County Acceleration Academies (EAA).
The alternative high school program works in partnership with Ector County Independent School District to offer a different option for high school completion for students in Ector County, Texas. At EAA, students complete classes online but receive in-person support from licensed teachers and dedicated mentors. The support is personalized to each student’s unique needs, and students create their own schedule so school fits around their work and life obligations.
When EAA accepted his application for enrollment, Julius says he couldn’t believe it.
“I was like, ‘Oh, even though I dropped out? What? I love that! Thank y’all!,’” Julius says with a smile.
With two and a half years worth of credits to make up, he jumped straight into his courses at EAA.
“When he first came in he did all of his pre-test courses and was able to complete at least two each week for a while. He took it very seriously,” says EAA Director Beth Webster.
Now, in less than one and a half years, Julius is wrapping up his last class and preparing to graduate. Not only did he make up all of the credits he was missing, he did it in record time.
“I love this school,” Julius says. “My thing is, I really want more of these schools throughout the world … A lot of people might be different, so they might do well in that traditional school setting, and some might be like me where it wasn’t a very good fit.”
At 19, Julius also works a job in the insurance industry and says the flexible schedule at EAA makes it possible for him to continue working while finishing his credits for his diploma.
He explains that he has a close-knit family, and each member contributes financially to the family. “We all like to put our part in. I felt like I was of-age to start helping as well.”
And — with his busy schedule — any time he feels discouraged, Julius says he’s able to lean on the support of caring EAA staff members who remind him to stay on task while giving him the freedom he needs to move around the space as needed.
“They all encourage me. They want me to get done,” he says. “They just told me I could do it.”
Now, as he prepares to graduate and pursue his dream of joining the Air Force, Julius says he’s most proud of earning his diploma in a short amount of time.
“I really thought I was going to be here for a while with how far behind I was,” he says. “I didn’t think it was possible. I was losing hope, and they gave me hope.”
Looking at Julius, Webster says, “No one can take credit for that but you because you were the one who said ‘This is something I need.’”
Julius says he would tell anyone thinking about dropping out of school that it’s not worth it.
“Any setbacks you come across, you’ll always get through them because I did,” he says. “I went through a lot of setbacks, but I still made it. I feel like everyone else can, too.”