Jones College recently celebrated another successful school year with its Adult Ed program with 11 students successfully completing the course. Although not everyone who completed the course attended the graduation ceremony held in July, the college is proud of all 11 students who were successful.
The instructor, Jon Lightsey, is always thrilled to be able to help her students achieve their goals. She does her best to prepare them in every way possible to succeed in what they want to be.
“This year, we were also working on the NCRC, which is the National Career Readiness, the ACT WorkKeys,” explained Lightsey. “I like for my students to get as much as they can while they are in the program. If they’re enrolled in the adult ed program, then their tests are paid for. Most of the workforce programs require you to score a particular level to begin, so I like for my students to be ready and have everything they need when they finish. I try to incorporate it all because I don’t want them to miss out on anything. They can start at their level and can start anywhere between July 1 and June 30. There’s not a set time for them to have to complete it, so students kind of rotate in and out throughout the year. I’ve had a couple join in May and complete all the requirements for high school equivalency by the June 30 deadline. It just depends on the student and how long it takes them to meet all the requirements for completion.”
There are several different tests that students are able to take, and she prepares them for everything. Thanks to a Total Transcript option, test scores from different tests that show proficiency in language arts, math, science, and social studies can be combined to earn a High School Equivalency Diploma. Some of the primary tests she teaches the content for to help students become proficient are the HiSET, GED, and ACT WorkKeys.
Although there may be a group of students in the classroom at the same time, she does her best to individualize lessons for each student so that they can continue to have such a successful program.
“The students come to either a morning class or afternoon class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday,” continued Lightsey.
“They’ll take the TABE, which is just a placement test so that I know where they’re at. The score they make in subjects like reading and math helps me know which direction I need to go first. It makes it a little more individualized. A lot of students prefer using the computer, and I have some that still want it to be on paper. I try to have a printout of what their plan is, and I also help them think about their goals and what they want to strive for and how to get there.”
Throughout the course, she tries to make sure each student is able to learn in a way that benefits them the most.
“For a lot of students, there are reasons that they left school. I try not to make it like a regular classroom because if it didn’t work before, then I don’t think it will work again,” expressed Lightsey. “I try to find their interest and go from there. If I have a student that comes in the afternoon class and is working on going into welding, then we do things like look at welding vocabulary and try to score proficient in two of the subsets on the tests so that he can go ahead and get in the welding workforce program too. We could start preparing for the safety test and information he will need to know. It’s just really exciting.”
Of course, some students attend the class to receive their high school equivalency after homeschooling so that they can become eligible for scholarship opportunities later on. She does her best to make sure that each student who completes the program is also eligible for scholarships if they choose to continue their education further.
“Students can become eligible for scholarships starting at 18,” informed Lightsey. “If they are enrolled with me in adult ed, if we hear that they are interested in going into college when they complete the program, we can sign them up for the residual ACT at Jones. We pay for that, and then they’re in competition for scholarships. I have a student who just received a scholarship for her ACT.”
The encouragement and support the students receive is one of the reasons the adult ed program has been so successful at the Stonewall campus. It is a free class to enroll in, and all the necessary tests are free.
The school year for the program starts in July and ends on June 30, and there is no set time frame for completion in that year. It may only take some students 45 hours of classes to complete, and others may take a little longer.
One of the things that is possible for students interested in completing a workforce program is dual enrollment. As soon as a student scores proficient in two of the five required subtests, they are able to enroll in a workforce program while earning the rest of their high school equivalence. Some of the workforce programs available at the Stonewall campus that students could dual enroll in are commercial truck driving, certified nursing assistant (CNA), certified phlebotomy technician, workforce welding, and more coming soon.
To sign up for the adult ed program, students would need the following at registration:
• Students 18 or over need to provide a copy of a valid state issued ID or driver's license
• Students that are 16 or 17 would need a parent to accompany them to registration; have a copy of a valid state issued ID or driver's license; have an age waiver request formed filled out, signed, and notarized; and show verification of withdrawal from the school system dated with the current school year and/or a letter from the county truancy officer dated with the current school year.
They are thrilled with their recent progress and the success of their students and look forward to many more years of success with students to come.
