by Lara Assaf, Education & Workforce VISTA
Joanne Stocker and her friend Shakedra Lowry have
a shared dream: they want to go to college. The two
also share the same obstacle: neither has their high
school diploma. They had long discussed getting
started on their GED when one day, Shakedra noticed
the Our House Learning Center as she was driving
by on Roosevelt Road.
“Well, I came home and told Joanne that there was
a center down the street. So we just came by the
next day, and the next thing we know we‟re taking
our tests and getting started!”
The Learning Center, open to both Our House residents and community members like Joanne and
Shakedra, offers free services in the areas of adult
education, job skills, and life skills. Since that day
six weeks ago, Shakedra and Joanne have attended
the Learning Center almost every day it‟s been open,
and the work is paying off. Both have made major
progress in every area of the test, and the women
are getting excited about nearing the final exam.
“We‟ve been improving,” says Joanne. “We‟re really
happy about it. It makes us want to come in every day.”
Brenda Reagan, a licensed teacher that heads the
Learning Center classroom, describes herself as
Shakedra and Joeanne‟s personal cheerleader.
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