Carter County Adult Education Program Manager Joyce Elliott (standing) works with Diana Buchanan, a volunteer. Buchanan is a former student who passed her GED. Photo By Dave Boyd

CCAE takes illiteracy captive with correctional outreach program

By Greg Miller
STAR STAFF
gmiller@starhq.com

   Carter County Adult Education has gone behind bars with a correctional outreach to take illiteracy captive, according to Linda Bowling, the agency's director.
   "We trained an inmate to teach other inmates at the Carter County Jail," Bowling said. "As of now, he has six students, and he is doing a good job with them."
   "It's great that somebody over there is willing to help others," said Joyce Elliott, program manager.
   Carter County Sheriff John Henson supports the program 110 percent, according to Elliott.
   "He's willing to help them if they are serious and want to help themselves," Bowling said.
   Bowling says GED testing has changed since last year. "From July through December, we were overwhelmed with people," she said.
   During that time period, CCAE registered 119 students, with 52 of those people passing the G.E.D., stated Elliott.
   Three hundred people completed the program from July 2000 through July 2001, according to Bowling. Seventy-five of those people passed the G.E.D. exam. The program begins anew each July.
   Bowling and Elliott praised McDonald's for giving their employees an incentive to earn their G.E.D. "McDonald's gave Lori (an employee) a $50 award for passing her G.E.D. this year," Bowling said.
   "We are committed to working with local employers to encourage their employees to further their education and job skills," Elliott said. "Some of them have gone to college and gotten good jobs."
   CCAE offers a free weekly "Mother Read/Father Read" program through the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library. "Students receive free books," Bowling said. "The program improves parenting skills, and literacy skills, increases family communication, promotes reading and story sharing in the home. We try to encourage young parents to read to their children."
   One local church operates an on-site reading program, according to Bowling. "We've had that program for about two years," she said.
   Private one-on-one tutoring lessons are offered "to bring the students' reading levels higher to qualify them for GED classes," Bowling said.
   A new computer lab was begun in July. The lab helps instructors identify the needs of the students. "The class is full now," Bowling remarked.
   A few students have enrolled in the English as a Second Language (ESL) class that started in September. A volunteer from Vocational Rehab teaches driver's education on the computer.
   CCAE conducted a patriotic GED graduation at Grace Baptist Church on Jan. 12. Special awards and gifts were presented to various students. Fifty-two adult learners have received their GED since July.
   GED preparation classes, life survival classes, educational counseling, job opportunities, referrals for grants, job skills training, private tutoring, educational assessment, referrals to the GED testing site and career assessment are available to those who are least 18 years old.
   The Families First program includes transportation, books and materials, vision screening and dental screening. The program is designed to get the mothers off welfare and helps guide them to independent living, according to Bowling, who said Families First helps them further their education and get jobs.
   Speakers are invited to talk to the students about a variety of jobs, and volunteers do their hair, apply make-up, and donate clothing for them to wear when they go for job interviews.
   CCAE's paid teachers include Roger Campbell, GED, also a third-grade teacher at Valley Forge Elementary School; Nancy Broyles, GED, a kindergarten teacher at Happy Valley Elementary School; Steve Souder, employed through the Families First program; and Betty Wilson, GED, AB&T. Javy Taylor is CCAE director.
   GED classes are currently held at Happy Valley Elementary School, the Alliance for Business and Training and the Adult High School building. For more information, call 542-7323.