[Sabeswest] open house for new Florence heights GED classes

[Margaret Anderson]

Florence Heights Celebrates New GED Classes with Family Fun

The Literacy Project's Pioneer Valley Adult Learning Center 

to hold Open House at Florence Heights on Thursday, October 26

 

Northampton - It's not easy being the parent of a toddler.   But how about being a teen parent of two-year-old twins, and going back to school to get a GED?  It doesn't slow down 17-year-old Jasmine Diaz.  "I've passed all other parts of the GED test except for the math test, and thanks to The Literacy Project I'm confident I'll pass the next time around," says Ms. Diaz, a student enrolled in The Literacy Project's new Florence Heights GED class.  By offering the classes on-site at Florence Heights, The Literacy Project aims to make it easier for parents like Ms. Diaz to study for the GED.  

 

The Literacy Project's Pioneer Valley Adult Learning Center, an adult literacy and GED program, is celebrating the new Florence Heights classes with an open house on Thursday, October 26, from 4-7 PM.  The Open House will feature family fun activities and tours of the GED classroom. The event will include a performance by Katryna Nields, a nationally-known folk-rock musician whose new CD release All Together Singing In The Kitchen features children's music.  

 

The Literacy Project began offering classes on-site at Florence Heights in March 2006, in addition to classes offered at their downtown Northampton location.  Childcare is available on-site and parenting education and support is offered to the participants, through a collaboration with the Northampton Public Schools.  The classes are funded by grants from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Franklin/Hampshire Career Center.  

 

The Northampton Housing Authority, which operates the Florence Heights apartment complex, is providing free use of a Florence Heights apartment, with utilities, for three years.  "Our residents want to get better jobs, and want a bright future for their kids," says Jon Hite, Executive Director of the Northampton Housing Authority.  "They know that learning English, and getting a GED are steps along the path."  

 

"The community has welcomed the GED class from the beginning," says Instructor Keirsten Harte.  "The students are enthusiastic, highly motivated, and appreciative of the accessibility to services that have traditionally been difficult for them to tap into.  It is turning out to be an all-around success."  Eighty percent of the students currently enrolled are residents of the Florence Heights complex.  

 

The Literacy Project is a non-profit basic education program, offering free classes in literacy instruction, GED preparation and transitions to college and employment since 1984.  In addition to Florence Heights, classes are offered in downtown Northampton, Amherst and Ware and at additional locations in Franklin County.  A Distance Learning Program allows residents throughout the region to study for the GED from home.  

 

The Open House will be held at 178 Florence Road 8D and is free and open to the public.  





Margaret Anderson
Volunteer Coordinator
The Literacy Project
15 Bank Row, Suite C
Greenfield, MA 01301
413-774-3934, ext. 15
margaret at literacyproject.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.literacytent.org/pipermail/sabeswest/attachments/20061017/f39136e9/attachment.html