VENTURA : Independent Student Has a Graduation All His Own

Jeffrey Hodge’s graduation was not a typical ceremony. It was his and his alone.

Thirty people packed into a small room last week to celebrate the 17-year-old Ventura youth’s completion of high school, an unprecedented accomplishment because it was done entirely through independent study.

Surrounded by teachers, administrators, relatives and friends, Jeffrey was awarded a diploma, a blue-and-white graduate’s tassel and the dreaded red correcting pen.

Jeffrey’s teacher, Louise Hewitt, flashed the pen at him for the last time during the ceremony, reminding Jeffrey of his usual cry, “Don’t bring out that red pen.” She then tucked it into Jeffrey’s shirt pocket.

Teary-eyed, Hewitt told the small crowd that Jeffrey, who graduated in 3 1/2 years, represents the standard of excellence for Ventura Unified School District’s Independent Study School.

“He is a symbol for us,” she said.

With Jeffrey’s accomplishment in hand--boxes and boxes of his written work--Hewitt said the Independent Study School plans to apply for the same accreditation that most traditional high schools hold. No other independent study program in the state has been accredited, she said.

Some employers, students and college scholarship evaluators believe that a diploma from an unaccredited school is not as “prestigious” as one from an accredited school, Hewitt said.

Reflecting on his time at the school, Jeffrey said that at 14 he wanted to find a way to speed his learning, yet still receive a quality education.

Although he believes he received a better education than he would have through a traditional high school, Jeffrey said he missed out on one thing: “socialization . . . I can talk to adults and kids younger than my own age.” But he said he has trouble conversing with people his age.

Jeffrey said he made no friends during the program, which is geared toward sixth- through 12th-graders. Up to 259 students may be enrolled at one time, although most choose to take only one or two courses.

Typical students are those who have fallen behind in their regular classes or teen-age parents, who represented one-third of the graduating class last year.

And a new trend this year is incoming ninth-graders whose parents fear that their children will be drawn into gangs.

Jeffrey, who spent two to four hours a day on schoolwork, hopes to find a job as a computer technician.

As part of his course work, Jeffrey completed a 900-hour, 75-unit adult education class called Electronics Technology Computer Repair. According to his teacher, Hugh Taylor, Jeffrey was the youngest of 16 students taking the course and “an absolute joy to have in the class.”

“Now that it’s all done and said, I’m anxious to get working, but I’ve seen a lot of things, and I’m a little wiser for the wear,” Jeffrey said.