The FCCJ SPECTRUM Vol. I / Summer 1992 'New Beginnings' takes education to the neighborhood Thousands ofyouths drop out ofhigh schoolevery year. Manyfind that withouta high schooldiploma,jobs can be scarce. VISTA volunteers are helping FCCJ recruit high school dropouts in three low- income Jacksonville neighborhoodsfor a new family literacy program that gives them and their children a better opportunityfor success. How does the GED graduate compare to the traditional high school graduate? See page two. There are two sets ofstudents with a stake in FCCJ's"New Beginnings"GED preparation program. There are the low-income adult students in the class working to earn high school diplomas. And then,there are their children. Studies indicate that the major predictor ofa child's success in school is the educa- tional level ofthe child's mother. Through family literacy outreach programs like this one,FCCJ instructors may be able to stop illiteracy like a doctor would cure an infection — eliminate it early before it spreads. For New Beginnings students like 27-year-old Carol Gray,the prescription is working. "I am just now learning how to read," said Gray, who was pregnant when she dropped out of high school 12 years ago. "Now I read to my children because it builds my reading skills,and it helps them." Until recently,Gray was a resident of Regency Green Apartments,one ofthree locations where FCCJ has implemented New Beginnings. Gray put her first child up for adoption several years ago,but since then,she has had three boys. "I had to get it together so I could do more for my kids,"Gray said. "My oldest(who is in kindergarten)gets a kick out of me going to school.Right now, they like school,and I want them to continue liking it." • "Now I read to my children be- cause it builds my readingskills,and it helps them." • For Gray,earning a high school diploma has been an on-again,off-again process for 10 years.Sometimes the time and location of classes prevented her from attending school. Sometimes it was the lack ofchildcare. New Beginnings,which is sponsored by FCCJ's adult studies department,eliminates those logistical problems by bringing education to low-income neighborhoods like Regency Green,and Ramona Park and Hollybrook Homes on the Westside. Debra Bryant,an FCCJ adjunct professor who teaches the New Beginnings class at Hollybrook Homes,said that ifthe program did not exist,most of her students wouldn't attend school because ofthe same problems Gray experienced. "Most students want to be able to have decent payingjobs,"Bryant said."They're intelligent enough to know that the streets are not where they want to be." With the help of VISTA volunteer recruiters,residents and people from neigh- boring developments are taking advantage of the opportunity New Beginnings offers. Like Gray,Ronka Hollimon dropped out ofhigh school after she became pregnant. Hollimon is only 18,but already,she knows she'll need a diploma to accomplish her other goals. "Without a high school diploma,you can'tfind a good job," Hollimon said."It gives you more confidence in yourself when you have it. I'm here because you need a diploma to get ajob or go to college,and this is convenient because it's in the community." Hollimon's son turned two last May. "He's my motivation for doing this," she said."I want something better for him than what I am able to provide now." The program's instructors also want something better for the children oftheir students.They say that helping the parents achieve educationally will have a long-term impact on the children. "We teach parents to better themselves through education," Bryant said,"so that they can demonstrate to their children at home that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty." Ben Campbell,an adjunct professor for FCCJ,conducts classes twice a week at the other two apartmentcomplexes.On Fridays he runs a special tutoring session,splitting his time between the two locations. "The best thing these parents can do for their children is walk in the front door with school work and let their children see them working," he said. The primary motivation for most of the students in the program is to getjobs to support themselves and their children, according to Campbell. He estimates that 70to 80 percent ofthe students he teaches are unemployed. FCCJ Adjunct Professor Ben Campbell helps an adult student study for the GED high school diploma exam. Studiesshow his efforts will have a positive impact on her child,as well. "I take very seriously these people's commitment to what they came here for," Campbell said."The most critical thing of teaching adults is to find out what their weaknesses are and work in a deliberate fashion to overcome them." But after discovering the ability ofhis students,he realized that they should be aiming for much more. "Exceptfor the top 10 percent of high school students,I'll put any of my GED students up against high school students and guarantee that my students will hold their own,"Campbell said. For Gray and Hollimon,as for most in the class,the New Beginnings program isjust that — a beginning. Hollimon hopes to continue her education in college with a major in criminaljustice. Gray wants to learn how to repair computers. Campbell said that other students have aspirations ofgoing on to college,as well. He works with them to help them set realistic goals and find the resources they need to achieve their goals once they earn their high school diplomas. Most New Beginnings students are females in their 20s who have been out of high school for an average offour to six years. While a number of men are enrolled in the classes,the average student is female and has about a 10th or 11th grade education that was interrupted because ofa pregnancy. "This program gives our students a front door for education,"Bryant said."They really appreciate the convenience ofit, and they realize that there is no reason not to get a high school diploma." For more information,call 766-6704. , OCR Text: The FCCJ SPECTRUM Vol. I / Summer 1992 'New Beginnings' takes education to the neighborhood Thousands ofyouths drop out ofhigh schoolevery year. Manyfind that withouta high schooldiploma,jobs can be scarce. VISTA volunteers are helping FCCJ recruit high school dropouts in three low- income Jacksonville neighborhoodsfor a new family literacy program that gives them and their children a better opportunityfor success. How does the GED graduate compare to the traditional high school graduate? See page two. There are two sets ofstudents with a stake in FCCJ's"New Beginnings"GED preparation program. There are the low-income adult students in the class working to earn high school diplomas. And then,there are their children. Studies indicate that the major predictor ofa child's success in school is the educa- tional level ofthe child's mother. Through family literacy outreach programs like this one,FCCJ instructors may be able to stop illiteracy like a doctor would cure an infection — eliminate it early before it spreads. For New Beginnings students like 27-year-old Carol Gray,the prescription is working. "I am just now learning how to read," said Gray, who was pregnant when she dropped out of high school 12 years ago. "Now I read to my children because it builds my reading skills,and it helps them." Until recently,Gray was a resident of Regency Green Apartments,one ofthree locations where FCCJ has implemented New Beginnings. Gray put her first child up for adoption several years ago,but since then,she has had three boys. "I had to get it together so I could do more for my kids,"Gray said. "My oldest(who is in kindergarten)gets a kick out of me going to school.Right now, they like school,and I want them to continue liking it." • "Now I read to my children be- cause it builds my readingskills,and it helps them." • For Gray,earning a high school diploma has been an on-again,off-again process for 10 years.Sometimes the time and location of classes prevented her from attending school. Sometimes it was the lack ofchildcare. New Beginnings,which is sponsored by FCCJ's adult studies department,eliminates those logistical problems by bringing education to low-income neighborhoods like Regency Green,and Ramona Park and Hollybrook Homes on the Westside. Debra Bryant,an FCCJ adjunct professor who teaches the New Beginnings class at Hollybrook Homes,said that ifthe program did not exist,most of her students wouldn't attend school because ofthe same problems Gray experienced. "Most students want to be able to have decent payingjobs,"Bryant said."They're intelligent enough to know that the streets are not where they want to be." With the help of VISTA volunteer recruiters,residents and people from neigh- boring developments are taking advantage of the opportunity New Beginnings offers. Like Gray,Ronka Hollimon dropped out ofhigh school after she became pregnant. Hollimon is only 18,but already,she knows she'll need a diploma to accomplish her other goals. "Without a high school diploma,you can'tfind a good job," Hollimon said."It gives you more confidence in yourself when you have it. I'm here because you need a diploma to get ajob or go to college,and this is convenient because it's in the community." Hollimon's son turned two last May. "He's my motivation for doing this," she said."I want something better for him than what I am able to provide now." The program's instructors also want something better for the children oftheir students.They say that helping the parents achieve educationally will have a long-term impact on the children. "We teach parents to better themselves through education," Bryant said,"so that they can demonstrate to their children at home that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty." Ben Campbell,an adjunct professor for FCCJ,conducts classes twice a week at the other two apartmentcomplexes.On Fridays he runs a special tutoring session,splitting his time between the two locations. "The best thing these parents can do for their children is walk in the front door with school work and let their children see them working," he said. The primary motivation for most of the students in the program is to getjobs to support themselves and their children, according to Campbell. He estimates that 70to 80 percent ofthe students he teaches are unemployed. FCCJ Adjunct Professor Ben Campbell helps an adult student study for the GED high school diploma exam. Studiesshow his efforts will have a positive impact on her child,as well. "I take very seriously these people's commitment to what they came here for," Campbell said."The most critical thing of teaching adults is to find out what their weaknesses are and work in a deliberate fashion to overcome them." But after discovering the ability ofhis students,he realized that they should be aiming for much more. "Exceptfor the top 10 percent of high school students,I'll put any of my GED students up against high school students and guarantee that my students will hold their own,"Campbell said. For Gray and Hollimon,as for most in the class,the New Beginnings program isjust that — a beginning. Hollimon hopes to continue her education in college with a major in criminaljustice. Gray wants to learn how to repair computers. Campbell said that other students have aspirations ofgoing on to college,as well. He works with them to help them set realistic goals and find the resources they need to achieve their goals once they earn their high school diplomas. Most New Beginnings students are females in their 20s who have been out of high school for an average offour to six years. While a number of men are enrolled in the classes,the average student is female and has about a 10th or 11th grade education that was interrupted because ofa pregnancy. "This program gives our students a front door for education,"Bryant said."They really appreciate the convenience ofit, and they realize that there is no reason not to get a high school diploma." For more information,call 766-6704. , Z ArchiveInABox,JAX,FCCJ Spectrum,Scans,1992 Summer,1992 Summer 1 Page 1, 1992 Summer 1 Page 1