SANDPOINT —  “The tassel is worth the hassle,” as any staff member at Lake Pend Oreille High School will tell you.

Sure enough, one of the central challenges at the school is helping each of their students work toward achieving the often-imposing goal of high school graduation. With the reintroduction of the LPOHS evening program, Principal Geoff Penrose and program manager Colleen Ross hope to bring that opportunity to a new set of local residents.

The community has its fair share of young people who have dropped out of high school before earning their diploma. According to Penrose, some did so with the intention of passing the GED test. However, there are two problems with that plan, he said. For one thing, a GED isn’t nearly as valuable as a diploma and can lock out many opportunities — even enlistment into several military branches. For another, the GED test is significantly more difficult than it used to be.

“What we want to do is offer students a real, honest diploma they can hang on their wall,” Penrose said.

For the rest of the story, see the print edition of the Bonner County Daily Bee or subscribe to our e-edition.