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Ritchie County effort gives adults new chance to learn

By Candice Black 2 min read

PENNSBORO -- Ritchie County Adult Education offers services to adults of any ages by providing college, workforce or certification assistance.

The organization has grown from only offering assistance with GEDs, instructor and coordinator Misty Dawson said.

"We help any adult who wants to get better employment, change careers or wants to provide better for their family," she said.

All services are free due to funding received from Ritchie County Schools, state and federal grants and West Virginia Adult Ed.

Several certifications are available to students. The organization also offers the final exam for the certification, normally $100, for free.

Students take an assessment test in the beginning to see which level of teaching material they will work with. After hours of instruction, students can take practices tests for the certification and then go on to the final exam.

"We use a combination of group, individual and computer assisted learning. They can work on the computer programs from home," Dawson said.

Adult education day classes start every Monday that go through the school year.

"We have an orientation every Monday where students can come in and get started," Dawson said.

Two different tracks are available; one is to help people receive their high school equivalency diploma and the other is for a Microsoft Office Specialist Certification.

"We have so much to offer for free that will help better their lives. You need computer skills for anything now. It will help you get a better job," Dawson said.

Lori Kuffner, instructor, helps students prepare for college by gauging their interests and placing them in the right college and pathway to put them in a position centered around what they enjoy doing.

She sets up college tours, and helps them to sign up for financial aid and grants.

"A lot of our students are first generation college students and just the idea of going back to school can be a little intimidating," Kuffner said. "Just having an extra person there to give them a little bit of guidance makes it less intimidating and (it's) more likely for them to go and be successful."

Candice Black can be reached at cblack@newsandsentinel.com.

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