A Second Chance


Life stacked all odds against Hillcrest High School student Becca Lewis, but she didn’t give up. After a rocky, unattainable start to her senior year, Becca began taking Launch online classes and was able to earn her high school diploma.
By Savannah Waszczuk

Life stacked all odds against Hillcrest High School student Becca Lewis, but she didn’t give up. After a rocky, unattainable start to her senior year, Becca began taking Launch online classes and was able to earn her high school diploma.

A smile took over Becca Lewis’s face as she draped a black graduation gown over her jeans and flannel shirt. Her friend was standing by her side, and the Springfield Public Schools administration offices quickly became her stage—after completing her last Launch course online, Becca earned the final credit she needed to become a high school graduate.

Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Dr. John Jungmann shook Becca’s hand, and the two posed for a photo. “Congratulations, Becca,” Dr. Jungmann said. “Remember, this is the starting line, not the finish line. Let us know how we can help you in the future.”

For Dr. Jungmann and the rest of the Launch team, this was a proud moment—seeing one of your students graduate is always a great reminder of the “why” behind what we do each day. But for Becca, this moment was even bigger. Graduating high school was something that seemed impossible to her just a few months prior when she was living in a car with her fiance. It seemed unimaginable when she had to spend every one of her free moments worrying about finding a job or paying rent. And it was something she certainly never dreamed of after learning her mom was diagnosed with cancer. Life had stacked all the cards against 19-year-old Becca Lewis, but on December 18, 2017, she had finally beaten them. She had finally won. With the help of Launch’s online courses, Becca Lewis defied the odds and earned her high school diploma.

Click here to read more of Becca’s story.