More than 185 Project Learn students have earned GED diplomas since last June. On Tuesday, about 45 of them attended a graduation to honor their accomplishments.
One of the graduates, Samuel Potter, dropped out of high school 14 years ago. He once considered himself an “under-achiever” who was more interested in making money than learning.
However, in 2008, Potter realized he wanted a change in his life. He came to Project Learn for help earning his GED. His goal was to become more competitive in the job market. Not only did Potter earn his GED, but he is now the CEO of his own computer software company and will release a science fiction strategy game next month.
Potter was also honored with an award for being Project Learn’s top scholar for the 2008-2009 program year. He earned this distinction by scoring 752 out of 800 possible points on the official GED test.
“Getting my GED gave me the confidence to do what I never did, and the credibility to be great in life,” Potter said.
These three words describe the more than 165 GED students who received their GED diploma in the FY 2008-2009 program year.
“Our GED graduates are high on motivation and are an inspiration for other students who aspire to achieve the same goal,” said Executive Director Rick McIntosh.
For these students, June 23, 2009 could not come any sooner. Approximately 75 students are expected to participate in the agency’s annual GED Recognition and Graduation ceremony next Tuesday.
“It will be a day to remember,” McIntosh said. “Graduation is always exciting, especially for students who have been waiting decades to experience it.”
Students and volunteers will also be recognized for their progress in their class curriculum and devotion to volunteering and tutoring. Maurice Thomas, former Project Learn GED graduate, will give an inspirational speech to this year’s graduates. Thomas will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in emergency management in December.
David Jennings, executive director of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, will serve as the ceremony’s keynote speaker and will discuss the importance of education.
The graduation and recognition ceremony will be held in the auditorium of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Project Learn of Summit County was recently rated an “exemplary” program by the Ohio Board of Regents. Project Learn students and staff talk about what the rating says about the agency’s culture, program and teachers.
Last week Maurice Thomas, a 2006 GED graduate, stopped by to share his educational accomplishments.
He received his associate’s degree in fire protection last year and will be graduating from the University of Akron in December with a bachelor’s degree in emergency management.
Maurice, who currently works as a freelance videographer, plans on using his talent to help improve emergency management systems. He hopes to work for FEMA and help the organization become “more proactive, not reactive.”
“The 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina opened my eyes to a lot of things that were going on,” he explained. “I want to be able to help people get through to unexpected hard times.”
Maurice dropped out of high school when he was in the 10th grade so that he could take care of his daughter.
“It was hard because I was a father before I was a man,” he said. “But that’s the only reason why I stopped going to school. I had to provide for my family.”
After seeing where the economy was headed, he decided it was time to finish his education.
“Some people decide to further their education for their children, but I did it for myself,” he said. “This allowed me to better provide for my children and become a better role model.”
Maurice said he wants African-American males to use him as an example.
“If you want something, you have to work for it,” he said. “And that’s what I did.”
Project Learn has decided to add a new feature to this blog. ”Meet the Board” will be a weekly post that will feature a new Project Learn board member who will share why they decided to get involved with Project Learn and their thoughts on literacy and personal experiences with education.
2. Do you hold a specific seat on the Board?
I serve as chair of the program committee. This allows me stay in touch with the many programs Project Learn offers and to involve students from the University of Akron with program activities.
3. Why did you choose to become involved with Project Learn?
I have been involved with adult literacy for many years, as a volunteer initially, then as a family literacy coordinator in another county, as a member of a reading group for adult readers and now with Project Learn. I was aware of the good work Project Learn was doing in the Akron/Summit County community and so when I began to teach at the University of Akron I wanted to get involved locally. I’m glad I did.
4. In your opinion, what is the value of education?
Education creates opportunity and can open doors to options. Options are part of freedom in life. South African leader Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It can change the world of the individual and of the community. A woman who works for children’s rights, Marion Wright Edelman says that “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” It is all about hope and possibility.
5. In Summit County, more than 62,000 people over the age of 18 lack a high school diploma. How do you interpret this?
This reflects the trend nationally and continues to need attention. The kinds of jobs available has changed as plants and factories have closed or downsized. Additional skills and abilities are now needed. Our schools are working through reform efforts that make learning more meaningful and relevant, that consider new structures for high school, and ways we can assess learning beyond one test. A program with The University of Akron, Early College High School, is one new approach to high school that helps prepare students for careers as well as college.
6. What is your favorite book? Why? This is such a hard question… There are some I keep coming back to and read again and again like One Hundred Years of Solitudeby Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a delightful and magical story of generations of a family in a village over 100 years and all that can happen in life. I enjoy escaping in mysteries like Walter Moseley’s series of Easy Rawlins crime and PI adventures set in L.A. over the decades. I like to get to know characters in a story. As a child I enjoyed Pippi Longstocking’s zany adventures and Nancy Drew’s clever solving of mysteries. I teach children’s literature so I very much enjoy exploring books I can recommend to teachers and children, readers of all ages. And lately I’ve been thinking about my grandmother who grew up in Finland. I never heard her story about those times. So I have been reading information about what Finland is like, imagining her life. I hope someday I will travel there to learn more.
7. Finish this sentence: Reading allows me …. to enjoy who we are and can be, to go to new places, to learn new things and new words. Mary McLeod Bethune said that “The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.” I agree.
8. Is there anything else you’d like to share? I feel fortunate to be part of Project Learn and so appreciate the tremendous work of the teachers, staff and students. Every time I go to a Project Learn graduation I am moved by the stories of students and so proud of the work they have done. B.B. King, the blues guitarist, reminds us that “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” They will have that degree and the experience of learning forever.
A few years ago, we were shocked by the Avian Influenza, a virus that occurs naturally in birds. The virus started in Asia and people across the world were scared to eat poultry because of the potentially fatal illness.
Enter 2009 and the swine flu. According to the Center of Disease Control, the swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs that is contagious and spreads from human to human.
So far, the flu has claimed more than 150 lives in Mexico and one in Texas.
For those who may not be able to speak for themselves or use advanced vocabulary, verbalize questions in a medical setting, or understand basic instructions without an interpreter, comprehending information related to personal or public health may be difficult.
In some classes, Project Learn teachers felt it was appropriate to explain the virus and potential effect it may have on the country.
Although many students heard about the flu virus on television, newspapers or in general conversation, some could not understand what was being discussed. They didn’t know what words like “epidemic” and “pandemic” meant.
This is a serious problem, especially when the general public is at risk.
Imagine what the consequences are for people who don’t know the importance of washing their hands after they sneeze or don’t take their medication correctly. Think about how many people could be less sick, or even cured, if they did.
Going beyond swine flu, this has a direct relationship with health literacy.
Health literacy refers to the ability to read and have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.
One in five adults read at or below the 5th grade reading level, but most health materials are written at the 10th grade level or above. Newspapers aren’t always easy to understand either, even though some, like USA Today, is written at a 4th grade level.
Here are a few impediments that may make it difficult for non-English speakers or adults with poor literacy skills in developing health literacy:
Lack of access to basic health care due to language barriers or lack of insurance.
Lack of language skills. Learners may be unable to speak for themselves, use sophisticated vocabulary, formulate appropriate questions in a medical setting, or comprehend basic instructions without an interpreter.
Lack of awareness of U.S. healthcare culture, including what is expected of the patient and what the patient can expect of care providers (Courtesy of the Center of English Language Acquisition).
It is important that doctors, nurses, teachers and other individuals pay attention to the signs that indicate a person has low health literacy skills. By helping them understand what is needed to stay healthy, you can prevent them from engaging in activities that could harm themselves or others. (See what we’re doing.)
To celebrate Earth Day, Project Learn students discussed ways they can make the Earth more liveable.
Our goal was to inspire students to appreciate the Earth and its environment, but to also be mindful on how we use natural resources, including trees and water. In some classes, teachers started the day by sharing a few statistics, such as these:
It takes about 35 gallons of water to produce one cup of coffee.
It takes about 700 gallons of water to make one cotton T-shirt.
It takes about 630 gallons to produce one hamburger.
So, the students were instructed to come up with ways to be more conservative. This is what they said:
Recycle paper, aluminum and plastic.
Use green bags at the grocery store, instead of paper or plastic bags.
Don’t litter.
Turn used paper into scrap paper.
Unplug your computer or TV at night.
Turn off the lights when you’re not in the room.
Ride your bike.
Use carpools.
One student reminded me that Earth Day should be celebrated year-round to make a significant difference, which is true. Our students made a change. What are you doing?
The majority of my ESOL Conversations students don’t work. They complain about how hard it is to find a job, or even volunteer work. But for good reason. There have even been some employers who say they don’t like the way the students speak English. Say what?
Yup, it’s true. This really happened.
So, when one of my students told me that she was hired as a nurse assistant at a local hospital, I was thrilled.
She credited the class for helping her to be able to express herself and feel comfortable holding conversations with people whose native language is English (her native language is Chinese).
She attended a local community college and took courses so she could become a certified nurse assistant. Once she passed, she started job hunting. She was so excited and couldn’t wait to share her good news with the rest of the class.
After one week on the job, Jin Hong was beat. Even though she’d only been in the nursing field for a week, the staff gave her the most patients. She was responsible for taking care of nine people, while other staffers had six or seven. I suggested to Jin Hong to communicate her frustrations with the team leader. That didn’t go so well. The team leader told her to “suck it up” because the other workers had to experience the same workload when they first started.
But it wasn’t just the workload that was the problem. Jin Hong just wanted advice on how to handle so many patients. Since she was new, she just looked to her co-workers for support and a little guidance.
Despite her many attempts to communicate her frustrations, she got nowhere. They would say, “I don’t have time to help you” or “I can’t understand what you’re saying.” After only two weeks at the hospital, Jin Hong quit.
When she explained her dilemma to the class, we all felt her pain. Jin Hong only wanted to put her skills and education to use, doing something she loved: helping other people.
But thanks to insensitivity, Jin Hong not only lost a job, but the hospital lost a good employee.
During these difficult and unsettling times, it is hard to not be overwhelmed with the state of our local and national economy. You can’t avoid the continued news on television or in the newspaper about more people losing their jobs and their homes.
The students that come to Project Learn are greatly affected by the troubled economy. More and more formerly employed individuals are attending orientation and starting classes. These students feel the pressure to get their GED or improve their skills as quickly as possible so that they can get a job that will pay a living wage. The stress is intense for these individuals. Unfortunately, the pressure to get their GED and past academic experiences seem to scare them into thinking that they can’t succeed.
As spring finally arrives in Ohio, we are reminded of the reemergence and growth that happens during this season. We can use it as a way to help friends, colleagues and students remain optimistic and hopeful that times will get better.
The local community needs our services now more than ever. We must make sure our students have the resources they need to survive these hard times despite of how daunting the future may seem. Increased skills will help them become more marketable when applying for jobs and better able to transition on to further education and training.
Project Learn’s ESOL Conversations class is not your ordinary English For Speakers of Other Languages course. In this class, students already understand the English language, but need to work on their conversational skills.
It’s hard to interview for a job or make friends when you can’t engage in a conversation, but this class addresses these issues. We try to help the students become familiar with English idioms and get comfortable living in America by learning how to speak American English.
Below is a video of a few students discussing the roles of men and women in their home countries. From China to Puerto Rico, they discuss the roles and responsibilities of men and women in the home and abroad, the perceptions of an angry woman, and how men dress determine how they are perceived by others.
It was interesting to see that even though the students were instructed to answer questions based on their native countries, their answers were more similar to thoughts and ideas in America than different.
This may be my personal opinion, but I have noticed that in America:
Men who were pink are considered to have female qualities or thought of as “gay.”
Women are expected to keep care of the children and house, while men make money to take care of his family. In some cases, women take care of responsibilities at home in addition to working.
Women who appear angry in public are perceived more negatively than men. However, it is OK for women to cry in public. When men cry publicly, they are labeled as “soft” or too sensitive.
In my educational career, the majority of teachers in my elementary and middle schools were female. In college, I had more male teachers. This is similar to what Xi Gi observed in China.
Although it appears as if women talk much more than men, a recent study showed that men talk as much as women… depending on the topic. The study showed that both sexes speak about 16,000 words a day.
Although this may seem like a simple discussion, if English is not your native language, it’s pretty tough. It’s easier for the students to talk about issues and topics that are familiar to them. By doing this, students are more likely to feel at ease when speaking in public and having conversations with fluent English speakers.
Motivation, inspiration and dedication.
Last week Maurice Thomas, a 2006 GED graduate, stopped by to share his educational accomplishments.
To celebrate Earth Day, Project Learn students discussed ways they can make the Earth more liveable.
The majority of my ESOL Conversations students don’t work. They complain about how hard it is to find a job, or even volunteer work. But for good reason. There have even been some employers who say they don’t like the way the students speak English. Say what?
During these difficult and unsettling times, it is hard to not be overwhelmed with the state of our local and national economy. You can’t avoid the continued news on television or in the newspaper about more people losing their jobs and their homes.
Project Learn’s ESOL Conversations class is not your ordinary English For Speakers of Other Languages course. In this class, students already understand the English language, but need to work on their conversational skills.
