Carol Baker and her twin sister, Carolyn Baker-Lowery, dropped out of high school when they were youngsters nearly five decades ago. During that time, the twin sisters had academic hurdles, which they said made them feel like “lost causes in the public high school system,” according to FOX 5 San Diego.
The twins finally enrolled in a continuation high school, but after becoming teen mothers, they opted to quit out and hunt for work. The sisters, now 64, recently received their high school diplomas from the MiraCosta College Community Learning Center after receiving the necessary assistance.
Carol, who works as a social worker, said she returned to high school decades after dropping out because she wanted a bigger role while volunteering at a local daycare development center.
Carol was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia after undergoing a medical evaluation before to making that decision. Carol was “armed with a better understanding of her needs,” according to MiraCosta College.
Disabled service counselors at MiraCosta College also assisted Carol in developing a “personal success plan,” allowing her to take use of educational tools she did not previously have, according to FOX 5 San Diego.
“Class after class, she utilized every resource available,” a press release from the college said, per KGTV. “Even when she became fully disabled and her sister Carolyn had to move in to serve as her caretaker, Carol would spend hours on Zoom sessions with her professors until she understood a topic.”
Carolyn also said she noticed her sister was committed to her studies. “At first I thought the girl had lost her mind, but then I couldn’t let her leave me behind,” she said. “I asked what I would need to do to get my diploma too.”
The twins studied together to eventually earn their high school diplomas, and walked across the stage on May 25.
