CHS is always advancing in new ways. This year, they have brought on a drastic change to their graduation requirements and completely changed the pathway to their diploma. Will this be better or worse for the bright young minds of Indiana?
This new diploma is meant to give Chesterton students better opportunities for getting accepted into Indiana colleges and universities such as Purdue and Indiana University. The diploma will not be required for the current CHS students. However, current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are able to ask their counselor to opt in to graduate under the new diploma. Incoming freshmen of the 2025-2026 school year will all graduate with this diploma.
There are different levels of these diplomas and three categories, including: enrollment, employment, and finally enlistment and service. Each of the three categories has an honors seal and an honors plus seal. The enrollment diploma focuses on college readiness and standardized test scores. The employment diploma focuses on preparing students to immediately join the workforce and work-based learning. The enlistment and service diploma focuses on preparing students who will enlist in the military upon graduation.
Assistant Principal Kristen Peterson spoke on the new diploma, “The new diploma has different implications for different cohorts of students. Different seals can be earned based on individual student career interests, and opportunities for personalization are even greater than with the old diploma.” Overall, this diploma is in the best interest of students and aims to personalize students’ experiences based on their skill sets and goals for the future.
Many staff and students are worried about what the new diploma will mean for certain classes that may not be required. They wonder if some classes may have to be made or if other classes will stop being offered. Peterson puts the community’s worries to rest.
“Different courses are now required, but we have always offered those. None of our courses will become obsolete,” said Peterson. The diploma will only make sure certain classes are being completed and is not focused on taking away any courses students opt to take.
Some people in the community are wondering why the state is even taking the time and energy to start this new diploma program. Well, the diplomas can be beneficial in helping students graduate with skills that will help them in any path through life that they choose to take. If the student chooses to follow the enrollment honors plus path, it can grant them admission into every Indiana public university, to ensure that they get a spot in at least one university.
“The benefits of completing any diploma are obviously immense. Diploma completion opens doors for all students that they wouldn’t have without their diploma. The different seals expose students to a variety of experiences, and those experiences will also be beneficial based on individual student goals,” Peterson said. The diploma will benefit every student in the end, with the goal of making graduation more effective.
