Due to Smart Horizons Career Online High School’s innovative adult career online high school offering, 32-year-old Mindy Lambert is completing her high school education and earning a credentialed career certificate in Office Management, all while juggling her responsibilities as a stay-at-home mother of three children, ages six, eight and eleven. Established in 2009, SHCOE (www.shcoe.org) is the world’s first AdvancED/SACS accredited online school district.
The SHCOE school district offers online high school programs that allow adult learners returning to the education process an opportunity to earn an 18-credit high school diploma, while also completing course work for a career certificate in areas such as Childcare, Transportation Services, Office Management, Homeland Security, Protection Services, and General Career Preparation.
Mindy lives in Lawton, Oklahoma with her husband of 16 years, Gary, who serves in the U.S. Army at Fort Sill. Lawton is also her home town. “I attended Lawton High School, where I progressed six weeks into my 12th-grade year,” Mindy said. “The year was 1997 and that was a hard year for me. My husband left for Basic Training and Airborne School, and my parents, who’d been married for 17 years, split up, which devastated me.”
“Trying to figure out my way, I decided I would go with Gary to his Dad’s house in Pensacola (FL). I stayed there for two months until I eventually went to Fort Bragg (NC) to be with Gary.”
Mindy has definite plans for her future.
“You might say my current occupation is stay-at-home mom and student,” Mindy said, “but I would like to work in a medical office when I’m done going to school and receive my career certificate. Vocational school is also in my future plans. From the time I was a little girl, I’ve seen myself working in an office setting-a person of purpose and dedication. Also, I believe I will do well in the office management field because of the lessons I have learned in my life.”
Flexibility was an important feature in attracting Mindy to enroll of SHCOE’s leading edge online program.
“I like that I can do what I need to do from home and still be able to continue my normal activities,” she said. “With all my responsibilities, it’s very important that I can make my own schedule.”
Mindy is enjoying all of her SHCOE courses, but counts history as her favorite.