Edgewater woman completes new online high school.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News 

Jennifer Goines-Warren, 37, of Edgewater, is a business owner, a mother of four, and recently became the first Volusia County resident to graduate from the Smart Horizon Career Online High School after receiving a scholarship from the Volusia County Public Library in Edgewater.

According to a release, the Goines-Warren family, library staff, and online coach Elise Weeks joined Jennifer at the Edgewater Public Library to celebrate her accomplishment. County Council Representative Danny Robins, also in attendance, presented her a proclamation that designates April 23 as Jennifer Goines-Warren Day.

“I feel renewed,” she said at her graduation party. “I feel like I have a new lease on life. I wanted to do this for myself and my children because I wanted them to see that it’s never too late and you can accomplish anything if you put your mind into it.”

Goines-Warren completed the Smart Horizon Career Online High School in less than three months and plans to further her career with the home care professional track. 

The Volusia County Public Library System partnered with Smart Horizons Career Online High School in 2021 and has awarded fifteen scholarships to adults who did not complete high school but wanted to earn an accredited high school diploma and career certificate. The online school allows candidates to select a career focus and earn a certificate in addition to their diploma. Core classes include English, Math, Social Studies, and Science. In addition, students can choose from career certificates in childcare and education, commercial driving, food and hospitality, general career preparation, home care professional, hospitality and leisure, office management, retail customer service, and security professional.

The Florida Legislature provides funds to the program, while the State Library of Florida administers the program with selected public libraries. The Volusia County Public Library receives an allotment of scholarships from the state library to award to students in consultation with Smart Horizon academic coaches based on a few initial classes completed by the students.

Library Services Director Lucinda Colee said the library system plans to award more scholarships in the near future.