Pioneer Library System marks 50th Excel adult high school graduate
Pioneer Library System (PLS) is proud to celebrate a major milestone: the 50th graduate with PLS of Gale Presents: Excel Adult High School program, with more on the way.
Since launching online high school access in 2019, PLS has helped more than 50 adults earn an accredited high school diploma, which opens doors to higher wages, career advancement, and continued education.
In specific parts of PLS’s service area, up to 7% of the population ages 25+ does not have a high school diploma. PLS was the first library system in Oklahoma to partner with Gale to offer Excel Adult High School. In 2025 alone, the program supported 19 graduates, reflecting growing demand for flexible, accessible pathways to education for adult learners.
Excel Adult High School provides an accredited high school diploma for adults who want to complete their education and prepare for the workforce, advance their careers, or pursue college. The program is available to Pioneer Library System cardholders in the service area who are age 24 and older and have not yet completed high school. Students can finish the program in two years or less, learning at their own pace with customizable schedules. Up to 16 previously earned credits may be transferred toward the 21.5 credits required for graduation.
Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue nursing and medical degrees, while others have leveraged their diplomas to secure new roles as teachers, insurance agents, and professionals earning higher wages.
“I chose the Adult High School program because it allowed me to work at my own pace and on my own schedule,” said Isabel McNeill, PLS’s 50th graduate. “Its flexibility made it easier to balance school with other responsibilities. The fact that the program was free through a scholarship also played a big role in my decision.”
McNeill graduated from the program at Purcell Public Library in December.
Through Excel Adult High School, students have access to highly qualified instructors and coursework available in more than 100 languages. Pioneer Library System further supports its communities by providing a full scholarship to eligible customers, removing financial barriers to completion.
Scholarships for this program are supplied by the Pioneer Library System Foundation. For more information and how to donate, visit plsfdn. org.
Adults ready to take the next step in their educational journey are encouraged to apply today and discover how the library can help turn possibility into progress. Find out more at pioneerlibrarysystem. org.
