Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

Congress Declares September 13-17 National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week
Local Numbers Point to Push for Improvement  

---

Jesup, GA – Altamaha Technical College and the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) invites you to join them in celebrating National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 13-17, 2010.  This Congressional declaration, H. Res 1472, was sponsored by Congressman Jared Polis [D-CO] and is the culmination of literacy advocacy and outreach resulting in twenty co-signers, including Rep. John Lewis [D-GA].

Adult education and family literacy programs serve adult students who need to improve their basic literacy and math skills, improve their oral and written English, practice for the GED test to attain a high school equivalence degree, and prepare for community college or vocational training.  According to the latest national survey of adults, over 93 million American adults have Basic or Below Basic literacy skills that limit their ability to advance at work and in education, help their children with school work, interact with their health care professionals, and participate in their communities.  In Georgia, this number is estimated at 1,082,210 residents, with an average Georgia County having 17% of it population lacking basic prose literacy skills, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  Locally, the percentage is higher than the state average in every county except one coming in at just under the state average: 

Population is a 2009 estimate;
Without HS diploma/GED is from 2000 Census

“In the seven-county service area surrounding Altamaha Technical College, our percentage rates of those adults over age 25 without a high school diploma or GED is too high. These rates carry significant meaning. We have thousands of folks out there in these counties who may not be able to read to their children, be employed full-time or advance to a higher income, use the internet, vote, volunteer or read important information on a prescription bottle,” states ATC President Lorette Hoover. “The Adult Literacy Program at the College is working daily to decrease these numbers,” adds Dean of Adult Education Sandy Williams. “Last fiscal year, we served more than 2,000 students and awarded more than 500 GED’s in our seven-county area.  However, state funding is expected to decrease again this year, while enrollment continues to increase.  For the first time, we may have to consider instituting waiting lists for new students because we may not be able to provide the coverage of services we have had in the past.  Fortunately, we have been able to tap into some additional sources to help our programs.  Just recently we sought and received a $20,000 grant to provide free instruction and supplies to residents in the Kingsland, GA area seeking their GED. Harvest Chapel Christian Fellowship, Inc. began offering free GED/Adult Basic Education classes on July 19 with our assistance. Classes are conducted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. In addition to the free GED classes, transportation is being offered at specific pick up locations. There is also an onsite daycare facility and access to resources if childcare assistance is needed. I would encourage anyone who is looking to improve his or her skills or to volunteer in helping others reach their goals to contact one of our centers directly.”

Altamaha Technical College’s Adult Education Centers include:

• Baxley – Baxley Campus 1334 Golden Isles Parkway; (912) 366-1070
• Brunswick – Brunswick Adult Education Center - 2301 Stonewall Street; (912) 267-4115
• Brunswick – Golden Isles Career Academy – 4404 Glynco Parkway; (912) 280-4000 X4414
• Brunswick – Goodwill Industries – Village at Glynn Place; (912) 267-4115
• Brunswick – Whispering Oaks Apartments; (912) 267-4115
• Eulonia – 1 Eulonia Park Road; (912) 832-5950
• Hazlehurst – Hazlehurst Campus – 677 Douglas Highway; (912) 379-0645
• Jesup – ATC’s Main Campus - 1777 West Cherry Street; (912) 427-5822
• Kingsland – Camden Center – 8001 Lakes Blvd.; 912-510-3361
• Kingsland – Harvest Chapel Christian Fellowship, Inc. – 480 Henrietta St.; (912) 729-1171
• Ludowici – 118 North McDonald Street; (912) 545-2913
• Woodbine – 207 E. 2nd. Street; (912) 510-3361

Adult education and family literacy programs serve adult students who need to improve their basic literacy and math skills, improve their oral and written English, practice for the GED test to attain a high school equivalence degree, and prepare for community college or vocational training.  Family literacy programs serve parents and their young children, teaching basic skills, English as a Second Language, and parenting skills to the adults while the children are provided high quality preschool programming. These programs are focused on breaking the cycles of low literacy, low education and poverty. More information about family literacy programs is available at the National Center for Family Literacy, a NCL member, at http://www.famlit.org/.

NCL (http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/) is a national adult education leadership organization comprised of member organizations and adult education professionals, committed to promoting adult education and literacy, family literacy, and English language development in the United States. NCL seeks to advance adult education, language, and literacy by fostering collaboration and advocacy at the national level among public and private organizations.  

Altamaha Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is an academic institution of higher education that supports the economic empowerment of people, communities, and businesses along the Altamaha River and southern coast through providing technical education programs at the associate degree, diploma, and certificate levels, a variety of workforce development services and adult education programs. For more information about the programs and services provided by Altamaha Technical College, call 800-645-8284 or visit http://www.altamahatech.edu/.