THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 11, 1994 TAG: 9409090307
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
For 11 years, Flora Britt, 37, has been faithfully cleaning the halls of Princess Anne High as a school custodian.
But this year, mops, brooms and buffers are not the only reason this single mother of two gets up for school everyday.
After dropping out of high school nearly two decades ago, Britt is one of 500 students getting a chance at education through the Open Campus High School program. Through flexible afternoon and evening classes, this program offers older high school students and adults the opportunity to earn their diplomas.
Although the students' ages are from 17 on up, most are there for the same reasons. ``At first I was scared because I thought I was going to be so old compared to everybody else,'' Britt said. ``But when I got in there, they didn't pay me any mind. I was just another student.''
During her senior year at Maury High School in Norfolk, Britt got pregnant with her first daughter and dropped out. The following year, she planned to return to classes, including Vo-Tech where she took a cashier checking course, but her daughter, Tawana, was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia.
``My baby was sick so I couldn't go back to school,'' she said. ``It seemed like every time I wanted to go back, a new obstacle got in the way.''
When Open Campus was getting off the ground at Princess Anne six years ago, Britt saw an opportunity. She remembered cleaning a bathroom one day and thinking, ``Lord I'm going back to school. I don't want to do this for the rest of my life.''
After working as a day-care assistant in a private center for 11 years, she was ready to start working with kids again. Britt observed special education teachers with their students during lunch and figured, ``that's what I want to do,'' she said.
Britt approached principal Lillian J. Donnally, who had developed the Open Campus program as a planning specialist in the school system, about getting signed up. But since there was a tuition, Britt was not financially ready to start.
After thinking that and the idea of leaving a second daughter, Christina, now 4, over for a few years, Britt decided to go back to school last winter. She signed up for a foods management class and worked out a payment plan with Donnally.
``I didn't care if I had to pay,'' she said. ``All I could see was that diploma.''
But she didn't have to pay a dime of the $125 tuition per course. Because of her work in the school system, Superintendent Sidney L. Faucette waived her tuition.
``I think it's really fantastic that I have this opportunity,'' Britt said. She received a B-plus in the course and signed up for four more this year, including English 10 and 11, history and government.
At the end of next summer, when she finishes up her fifth and final credit, Britt will be the first of her parents' four children to graduate high school.
After graduation, Britt plans to put in a request at Princess Anne to become a special education teacher's assistant, as well as enroll in classes in Tidewater Community College.
``I can't give up now - I'm on a roll,'' she said. ``Hopefully, I will inspire other single parents to finish their education. All they have to do is try.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
After dropping out of high school nearly two decades ago, Flora
Britt is one of 500 students attending the Open Campus High School
program.
Princess Anne High Principal Lillian J. Donnally developed the Open
Campus program.
KEYWORDS: ADULT EDUCATION by CNB