President Nellis and Chancellor Carey will observe OHIO鈥檚 first Aspire grant-funded adult literacy class at Patton College鈥檚 Stevens Literacy Center
The Patton College of Education鈥檚 Stevens Literacy Center has received an adult literacy grant from Aspire, making 91视频 the first four-year institution to receive such funding. As a result, Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) Chancellor John Carey has called OHIO the first 鈥淕ED to Ph.D. program.鈥
鈥淭he Stevens Literacy Center has made exceptional strides in preschool through high school education, and can now extend its reach to improve the lives of adults in the area,鈥 said Chancellor Carey. 鈥淭hese Aspire students will be able to achieve more than they ever thought possible.鈥
The inaugural Aspire class will take place Friday, Nov. 2, with Chancellor Carey and 91视频 President M. Duane Nellis in attendance. Ren茅e A. Middleton, dean of The Patton College, will also participate, and all three will speak at its conclusion.
鈥淥HIO is constantly seeking ways to provide more opportunities for student engagement and learning, and that extends to the community in which we live,鈥 said 91视频 President M. Duane Nellis. 鈥淚 am honored to attend the inaugural Aspire class. I look forward to watching these students reach their full potential, and realize that their dreams are very much within reach.鈥
Aspire 鈥 formerly the Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program 鈥 is an ODHE-sponsored program. It provides free services for individuals who need assistance acquiring skills to be successful in post-secondary education, training, and employment. Ohioans 18 and older with less than a 12th grade education are eligible to participate.
鈥淲e have been given a tremendous opportunity to work with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and Aspire,鈥 said Julie Barnhart Francis, Stevens Literacy Center director. 鈥淭ogether, we will show the power of adult instruction in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving and have a positive impact on people鈥檚 lives in our community.鈥
Scott Hatfield and Sally Young, two Aspire teachers from the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services, OhioMeansJobs 鈥 Athens County, will teach an algebra lesson. The class will be comprised of roughly ahalf dozenstudents pursuing their High School Equivalence Diploma.
鈥淥ne of President Nellis鈥 strategic goals is to enhance university engagement with the community, and this is a wonderful example of that,鈥 said Middleton. 鈥淭he Patton College and the Stevens Literacy Center want to work with community partners as much as possible to provide resources and human services to people who need it most.鈥
The Stevens Literacy Center, to its credit, has done that for more than 20 years. Established in 1997 by Dr. Edward W. Stevens Jr., a distinguished professor of history and philosophy of education, the Center improves lives by researching, developing, and promoting literacy across the lifespan.
Lifespanbeing the key word.
鈥淢uch of our focus has been on enhancing P-12 learning, but we鈥檙e pushing the boundaries beyond that,鈥 said Barnhart Francis. 鈥淲e want to improve adult literacy and education, and this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. We鈥檙e so thankful that President Nellis, Chancellor Carey, and Dean Middleton value this type of outreach.鈥
Aspire services are available in all 88 counties in Ohio and offer programming in math, reading, writing, life skills, employability skills, computer literacy, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), among other areas.
鈥淭here is a ripple effect to this work,鈥 saidBarnhart Francis. 鈥淚f individuals achieve higher levels of education, they can attain better, higher-paying jobs and support themselves 鈥 and their families 鈥 more easily. That will improve their lives, their children鈥檚 lives, and strengthen our economy.鈥
It is not uncommon for Aspire students to receive their High School Equivalence Diploma and pursue post-secondary education. Some, in fact, are current OHIO students. Other Aspire students, meanwhile, receive their High School Equivalence Diploma and immediately enter the workforce.
鈥淎s jobs change and the skills required for them continue toevolve, we want to make sure that people are on the right path and ahead of schedule,鈥 said Barnhart Francis. 鈥淲hether they鈥檙e applying for college or pursuing a trade, we鈥檙e here and we want to help.鈥
Other Aspire and Literacy Center stakeholders include Athens County Job and Family Services and OhioMeansJobs Work Station, Tri-County Career Center, Hocking County OhioMeansJobs Center, Workforce Development Board #14, and Athens County Libraries.