It was 8:24 a.m. Tuesday when Westerville South High School senior Paul Spiers passed the final test for his last math class — and earned all the credits he needed to graduate.
Thirty minutes later, he was dressed in a red cap and gown with his girlfriend and parents looking on as he prepared to wrap up his time at the Educational Options for Success (EOS) program with its send-off tradition: the ringing of the bell.
“It feels amazing,” Spiers said. “I didn’t think I was going to graduate. I thought I was going to drop out. I came here and people helped me out.”
Since the start of the school year, about 10 students have graduated through the EOS program — with 5 others close to completing their requirements in the coming weeks. Another 10 are on track to earn their diplomas before the end of the calendar year.
For 25 years, the EOS program has provided students another pathway towards graduation. Many students in EOS have struggled in a traditional high school environment. They’ve entered the program as much as two to three years behind in credits. They have faced life situations and distractions that have led to discipline issues.
“It’s students who’ve got the deck stacked against them, the odds stacked against them for a long time,” said Nick McIlwain, Director of Assessment and Alternative Education who oversees the EOS program. “But they come in here and we give them a great support network and we work collaboratively with them and they do some amazing things.”
“When the student buys in, it’s incredible to see how far they can go.”
At EOS, students can catch up and earn credits at their own pace through an online learning platform. They can attend a morning or afternoon session for three hours. They have access to math, English, science and social studies teachers for personalized, one-on-one support as needed.
Students say it’s a quiet environment where they can focus. And thrive.
Last year, 71 students earned their high school diploma thanks to the program. (Students who graduate through EOS account for 10% of the District’s overall graduation rate.) And the 200 students who attended EOS last year earned a total of more than 584 credits.
Sixteen of the 21 students who retook required state tests raised their scores by an average of 20.4 points — the highest increase to date.
And students’ experiences have changed what they thought about learning. Ninety-eight percent of students surveyed last year said they felt better about school than when they first arrived at EOS.
Educators from across the state have visited the EOS team to learn more about the program and bring it to their districts. Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools and Newark City Schools recently launched similar programs for their students after visiting McIlwain and the EOS staff.
EOS has expanded since it started in 2000, starting from a room at Westerville Central High School to a trailer outside of Westerville North High School. For the past 14 years, it has been housed at the District’s former administrative offices on Otterbein Avenue — just across from WSHS.
EOS still fulfills its original mission — to keep at-risk students in school and give those who’ve dropped out a path back to graduation — but it has evolved to meet students’ changing needs.
A growing number of students are entering EOS with social and emotional challenges, overwhelmed by the activity and size of a high school setting, McIlwain said.
“If students are struggling emotionally, we know they’re going to struggle academically,” he said. “We know that better coming out of COVID so let’s try to jump on these things earlier instead of waiting until their senior year.”
By coming to EOS earlier, students can work on recovering credits and transitioning back to their high school.
Will Miller was a sophomore when started at EOS in September 2024. He arrived with 5.5 credits and low expectations. But it didn’t take long for him to discover what he could accomplish in a smaller, quiet space surrounded by extra support.
“It’s nothing but focus here,” he said. “The teachers, the staff and everybody — they are just so welcoming, pushing you to succeed.”
Miller opted to stay at EOS instead of returning to WSHS to complete his classes. Earlier this month, he fulfilled his graduation requirements a year ahead of schedule, earning his diploma at 16.
Now, he’s preparing for a future in plumbing — thanks to the connections he made at EOS. Pat Palumbo, the program’s graduation and WSHS basketball coach, introduced him to the owner of Schneider's Bakery, who hired him for a part-time position. After a conversation about Miller’s career interests, the bakery owner connected him with the owner of a local plumbing company.
On Wednesday, Miller met with the owner to discuss a plumbing apprenticeship.
“I learned my true self,” he said. “I’m not meant to be how I was in school. I was always meant to be a good kid. When I went into school, I was guided by a lot of negative influences. When I was here, it showed me my true self. They just brought it out of me.”
Each year, EOS staff recognize a graduate for their perseverance, scholarship, leadership, service, character, responsibility, respect, attitude, loyalty and integrity.
In November, WSHS graduate Ryan Ebbinghaus will return as the 14th recipient of the program’s Outstanding Graduate award.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “I was really shocked. It was a good two weeks — I graduated and then I got that call that I got the award.”
Ebbinghaus left high school in 2023 to pursue his GED, but those plans never took shape. Then a friend told him about EOS and a chance to earn his diploma instead.
He entered the program in fall 2024 with 7.5 credits and a two-year plan to finish. The first month was rough: overnight shifts from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., followed by EOS classes at 7:30 a.m. Eventually, he switched to a more flexible job and moved to the afternoon session.
From there, he found his rhythm — gaining confidence, flying through classes and developing an interest in school he’d never felt before. By March, he had completed all his credits; by May, he officially graduated after receiving his state test results.
Wearing a red cap and gown, Ebbinghaus rang the graduation bell as his family watched — earning his diploma from EOS one year after his original WSHS class.
“It meant a lot to graduate,” he said. “I felt like I was failing. I wasn’t in the best mindset and coming back here and completing school as quickly and getting it done and moving on, it felt like a big relief. I’m happy I came back and did the work.”