NWACC offers free adult education in Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs residents don’t have to leave town to pursue their General Equivalency Diploma (GED), thanks to a free adult education program offered by the Northwest Arkansas Community College.
The local NWACC adult education satellite also offers a Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE) program to help high school graduates improve their skills and become more employable.
Overall, NWACC’s adult education program serves about 2,000 people a year in Siloam Springs, Rogers and Bentonville, according to Viktoria Eldridge, adult education instructor. Last year, a total of 164 people in Northwest Arkansas earned their GEDs and 136 people earned WAGE certificates through NWACC’s adult education program, she said.
NWACC’s adult education program has been established in Siloam Springs since 2008, Eldridge said. Originally, the program held classes at Community Christian Fellowship, but last year it moved into the Goodwill Store, located at 1001 S. Mount Olive St.
“The reason that I think this program is so important (in Siloam Springs) is that a lot of people do not have either the means or the opportunity to be able to travel to NWACC to take these classes,” Eldridge said. “It’s a service to the community to be able to have it locally right here and to be able to offer it morning and evenings so that it works around people’s schedules. Our main goal is to help them be able to progress in life and their jobs.”
Students of all ages, from 18 to
adults in their 50s and 60s, take adult education classes, Eldridge said. Many times, people got jobs right out of high school and didn’t need a diploma, then all of a sudden they find themselves in middle age and need a GED, she said.
“We’re seeing more and more jobs are requiring a GED where they didn’t in the past,” Eldridge said.
Adults often find that school is not as difficult as they remember. Through life experience, they pick up many of the skills needed to pass the GED exam, Eldridge said. People who are not ready for high school level classes can strengthen their reading skills with the help of the Dogwood Literacy Council, she said.
Students can start GED classes at any time and go at their own pace. The GED test covers four subjects — math, social studies, science and language arts. Students can study and take their test on one subject at a time. Instructors often recommend they begin with the subject they are most comfortable with to build their confidence.
“As soon as they get that first taste of success they want to finish, Eldridge said.
The GED test costs $136, but the state of Arkansas pays $120, leaving students with a cost of only $16. The fee is even more affordable because students only have to pay
I t’s kinda like sometimes getting the GED breaks the cycle of people not graduating. It makes a huge difference. Viktoria Eldridge Adult education instructor
$4 at a time when they take the test for each individual subject, Eldridge said. NWACC has an honor society for adults and holds graduation ceremonies in December and May.
Students who earn a GED make significantly more than students who drop out of high school, according to the Arkansas Research Center. In 2006, students with a GED had an annual salary of $15,620 in comparison to $11,254 for students who dropped out during their senior year and $6,971 for students who dropped out during their freshman year.
Adult education can also have a generational impact, Eldridge said. For example, a few years ago, two brothers came to earn their GED and became the first people in their family to graduate from high school. Not long after, their mother decided to earn her GED, she said.
“It’s kinda like sometimes getting the GED breaks the cycle of people not graduating,” Eldridge said. “It makes a huge difference.”
After they receive their GED, many people go on to take college level classes at NWACC, or to a technical school, such as Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale.
“That’s been one of the neatest things about doing the GED program is being able to see what they do after they get it, that’s been fun,” Eldridge said.
Currently, GED prep classes are offered in Siloam Springs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Eldrige said. Recently, NWACC also began offering GED prep classes on Tuesday evenings at the Gravette Public Library.
High school graduates can also earn WAGE certifications in Siloam Springs. The certifications include bank teller, customer service I, customer service II, employability, industrial and office technology.
Instructor Meghan Reimer is available at the Workforce Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays to provide more information about the adult education programs. She can also help students enroll and take entrance exams.
For more information or to register for classes, call 479-986-6991.