Career Online High School Guido’s Success Story
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| Ventura County Library READ Program |
As a young boy growing up in El Salvador, Guido Argueta dreamed of flying. He hoped to be a pilot one day, flying all around the world. He was insatiably curious and liked mathematics.
At the time, however, El Salvador was
torn by civil war. When he was 5 years old, his mother sought safety for
herself and her two sons by moving in with their grandmother while hoping to eventually
make their way to the United States. After many years and much effort, their
visas were approved and Guido took flight with his mother and brother from El
Salvador to Thousand Oaks, California.
A new arrival to the area at the age
of 16, Guido enrolled in a local high school. The first few months were “okay”,
but homesickness and culture shock soon set in. The most difficult part of the
transition was learning a new language. “I didn’t even know how to say ‘hi’ in
English!” Besides going to school and all the adjustments there, Guido also had
to learn to get a job, buy a car, and become more independent. He worked hard
and learned quickly.
Guido’s life moved ahead. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen, married, and had children. He was successful in his job. All the time, however, he knew that he needed a high school diploma for career advancement opportunities and to be a better help and example for his children.
Then one day he heard an advertisement on television about online education programs and decided to do some research. That led him to the Ventura County Library’s Career Online High School (COHS). He completed the application process and enrolled at the age of 40. READ MORE ➤➤
