The Adult Education Program that serves far Southwest Virginia is kicking off its 2015-6 academic year with a new name that reflects a new focus. RACE1 – Regional Adult & Career Education of Lee, Scott, Wise and Norton Public Schools will strengthen its connections with area partners to assure that graduates not only have a GED®, but also are career and college ready.
“Our goal is no longer just a GED®,” said Jan Stallard, Instructional Specialist. “We will set the stage for post-secondary student success with initial career exploration and ongoing academic and career counseling and assessment. And working with our partners in the education and employment sectors, we will connect our graduates to the specialized resources that can lead to success in these areas,” she continued.
“Higher educational attainment, coupled with better jobs for our citizens, is a key mission for the entire region,” stated Rebecca Scott, Program Manager. “This goal has been very much a shared effort among our outstanding partners.” Citing a long history of close collaboration with Mountain Empire Community College, the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Workforce Investment Board, Scott explained that RACE1 will “work smarter” with these and other agencies to point students in the right direction to help with jobs and higher education. “We will connect our students with professionals and websites that can assist them in applying for student financial aid, writing resumes, and seeking employment — processes that can be a very confusing.
“We will be relying more heavily than ever on our great partners and existing networks as we refocus our efforts to move our GED® grads into higher education and better jobs,” she concluded.
The Regional Adult & Career Education Program offers free Adult Education classes throughout the region to prepare students for the GED® Exam and to become career and college ready. Class schedules, directions to class sites and e-mail addresses for instructors may be found on the website at www.MyRACE1. .org. All classes open the week of September 8, and interested adults should call Amy at 1-844-MyRACE1 (844 697-2231) or in Scott County 386-2433 to register.
The Program also offers classes to help non-native English speakers with free language instruction. These students, like all others, will receive free career assistance. Classes may be held at the learning centers in Gate City and Duffield, at the student’s workplace or at any convenient and accessible location. Judy Vicars is the Coordinator for English language instruction. She can be reached at 1-844-MyRACE1 (844 697-2231) or in Scott County 386-2433 to register.
These are free services of the Public School Divisions of Lee, Scott and Wise Counties and the City of Norton.