“Even though I’m at the age that I’m at, never stop, never give up on your dream,” Perez said.
The new program is an accredited online program designed to give San Diegans 19 years old and above the chance to get their high school diploma — not a GED — at their own pace. Perez works a full-time job in construction and has kids at home, so being able to work whenever he has time is key.
“An hour to spare, two hours to spare. I just hop on and get as much done as I can,” he said. “There are days where I can’t get any done; there's weeks sometimes that go by, and I feel guilty, but at the end of the day, that’s what the program is there for.”