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At a time when most classrooms are dark, frequented only by the summer cleaning staff, the computers are on and the overhead bulbs burn bright at North Nicholas High School.

Class is in session five days a week at the school that offers an alternative learning choice for area high school students.

"Other students get the summer off, but then we're done before them," said Shawn Gilligan, a student at North Nicholas. "And for me, (graduating) is the biggest thing."

For others, it's not walking across a stage but earning a high school diploma in the shortest period of time that matters the most.

"Just as long as I have that little piece of paper," Lacey Simms said.

Simms, 18, transferred to the school for her senior year. She attended a public school for the first three years of high school, but has found an advantage to learning 12 months a year.

"At least I don't have to get up at 5 a.m.," she said. "I can wake up at 7. I need my sleep."

Enrollment at the school peaks at capacity of 400 students in August, but some students take the option of leaving classes for part of the summer. As long as they inform the school office and their teachers, they will have a spot when they return. They pick up their work where they left off. The school has 180 students enrolled full-time this summer.

"If you go in the summer, you get that extra two months to get that much further," executive assistant Vanessa Vazquez said.

Students work at their own pace and are required to attend one session per day. The school offers three daily sessions of four hours each. Most students attend one session and use the rest of the day to work a part-time job or help with younger siblings at home. Some students attend two sessions each day, pushing the pace toward graduation.

"When school started we thought we might have students who could not attend year-round," Principal Mike D'Angelo said. "However, we felt very strongly that those students who wanted to accelerate their learning and meet their academic and graduation goals should have an opportunity to do so."

The school's younger students have plenty of time left to contemplate their future, and take a little time off, but for others, like Simms, the goal is almost here.

"I come here and I can just do my work," she said. "I don't have to talk to anybody. It's nice."