"Connection" - January 2014 - Sheila Harris

It’s never too late

Picking up a lost milestone by earning a high school diploma S TO R Y A N D P H OTO S B Y S H E I L A H A R R I S

Many people in the United States take their high school diplomas for granted as simply the documents which granted them rite of passage into what they considered the adult world of college or the work force.

But for a large number of Americans, a high school diploma was a milestone never achieved. In previous generations, because a high school diploma was not a requisite for most jobs, when teens left school in order to help support their families, or to begin families of their own, their lack of a diploma was often no impediment to their future financial stability. However, in today’s tightened job market, the lack of a diploma often constitutes a huge barrier to entering the work force. With classes funded by Adult Education and Literacy grants, Crowder College is providing a way for people to cross that barrier.

JANUARY 2014

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 19

Teaching the basic subjects necessary to pass the High School Equivalency (HSE) Test (previously called the GED test), Crowder College offers adult education classes free of charge at 14 locations throughout Barry, Lawrence, McDonald and Newton counties. Although there is no charge for the classes themselves, effective January 1, there is a $95 fee to take the computer-based equivalency test.

For some students, such as Verna Lee of rural Purdy, taking the HSE test represented the dream of a lifetime.

“I dropped out of high school 43 years ago at age 16, to get married and start a family,” stated Verna. “But going back to school someday was always in the back of my mind.”

With the last of her four children raised, Verna was in need of something to fill the void left behind after devoting most of her life to home schooling them. She

“The biggest problem I had at first was just asking for help. I had been out of high school for 35 years, and it took a little time to get back in the swing of school work again. But once I asked for help, I realized how willing the teachers were to help me. It was the only way I could have learned. Yes, it was humbling, but also very exciting.” -- Robert Lewis decided it was time to invest in her own education and began taking daily classes at Crowder College’s Monett adult education site. Along with more than 80 other area students, Verna graduated last May in a large cap-and-gown ceremony at the Crowder College campus in Neosho. She was 59 years old.

“It was a dream come true,” declared Verna, her eyes welling with tears. “I want to encourage anyone who has been thinking about it, to do it before they get any older.

It’s never too late. I really enjoyed the

classes, as well as meeting new people.

Some of the math was a little hard, but the teachers were wonderful.”

Kathy Stegman, adult education instructor for Crowder College in Monett, states that although Verna Lee may have been a bit older than some of her other students, her eagerness to learn is typical.

“When people come to adult education classes, it stems from a desire to improve their lives and they view this as an important first step. They are always eager to learn and it’s very rewarding to be able to help them,” Kathy declared.

“I began teaching adult education In Barry and Lawrence counties, those interested in enrolling in classes, or volunteering to assist with teaching, may call one of the following numbers: Monett: 417-235-0065 Mt. Vernon: 417-461-5422 Cassville: 417-847-1706 Seligman: 417-455-5521 Shell Knob: 417-858-2887 Crowder also offers free classes to prepare students for the Compass (college placement) Test. According to Adult Education Director, Juli De Nisco, a student will be able to learn a lot in a short amount of time with these classes. Many students only take classes for a few weeks and they’re able to score well on their Compass Tests.

English as Second Language classes are available, as well as Adult Education Classes in Spanish, provided by the High School Equivalency Program for migrants.

20 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2014

for Crowder about 10 years ago,” Kathy continued. “My very first student was a 17-year-old girl who had dropped out of high school to take care of her dad, who was ill with cancer, while her mother worked. When she passed her High School Equivalency test, I was as excited as she was. I realized, then, that I was hooked.”

“People drop out of high school for any number of reasons, usually due to family circumstances,” stated Kathy. “It’s not because they’re lazy. Many of my adult students had to leave school when they were young because their families moved constantly and they were unable to stay in one school long enough to learn a particular subject. Others had health issues or were

JANUARY 2014

pregnant, or had to support a family. While a lot of us take our education for granted, my students don’t. They’re here because they want to be here, because they know this is the key that will open future doors.”

Robert Lewis, of Monett, who dropped out of high school when he was 16 to help his mother support the family, went straight into the workforce. He eventually became a production supervisor for Tyson Foods, a position he held for 25 years. After a disabling back injury left him unemployed, Robert suffered from depression.

“With a disability and no high school diploma, my hopes for the future looked pretty slim,” he stated. “Because I was unable to work, I decided to enroll in adult

education classes and take my High School Equivalency test. It seemed like a step in the right direction toward finding another job.”

“The biggest problem I had at first was just asking for help,” he declared. “I had that male pride thing going on, and it was a little humiliating to admit that I couldn’t learn on my own. But I couldn’t. I had been out of high school for 35 years, and it took a little time to get back in the swing of school work again. But once I asked for help, I realized how much I needed it, and I realized how willing the teachers were to help me. It was the only way I could have learned. Yes, it was humbling, but also very exciting.”

Robert passed his HSE test in August of 2012 at age 51. He feels like it was a major milestone in his life.

“It feels so good to be able to check the little box on job applications now, the one that asks if you have a high school diploma,” he stated. “Plus, I know there are a lot more employment options out there for me now.”

Robert now works as a volunteer teacher for the adult education center in Monett, believing it’s a way that he can give something back to the community in return for what has been given to him.

Some students are younger. Cassandra Bales dropped out of high school in 2009 because her family had moved so often that she was unable to catch up with the curriculum in any of the schools she attended. She recently began attending adult education classes with the goal of passing her HSE test and enrolling in college to become a teacher.

“It’s important to me to set this example for my children,” stated Cassandra.

“I want them to take their own education seriously when they are old enough to begin school.”

In Monett, in addition to Kathy Stegman, Crowder College employs teachers Molly Dyke, Dan Johnson, Carlos Ramirez, who teaches classes in Spanish three nights a week, and B. J. Stegman, who teaches ESL classes.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 21