- Message from our Director
- "Thank you" to all our supporters
- Student achievements
- Celebrating our teachers
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First, a message from Jon Gilgenbach, Executive Director of the ALC |
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Dear ALC Family
Happy Spring! As the final snow piles of the season melt away, and the flowers begin to bloom, I continue to be encouraged and motivated by the dedication of the Adult Learning Center’s students, staff, and volunteers. Although the last year has been nothing like any of us had planned, the lessons we’ve learned have given us tremendous new insight into the needs of those we serve, and have made us a stronger organization in 2021.
You should have received our recent communication about the ALC’s big news - on June 1st we are relocating our program to the “City on a Hill” facility here in Milwaukee (if you did not receive that email, read it here). As detailed in that message, this move is an intentional decision with a two-fold purpose: not only will it allow us to focus on providing mission-oriented services to our students, but it will also allow us to honor our commitment to being good stewards of funds raised for that purpose. While we eagerly look forward to resuming our traditional, in-person class offerings, we have seen many of our students truly thrive in our online classes. Transportation and childcare have always been two of the top concerns of our students, and removing these barriers has allowed many to engage in classes and work with volunteers at times that previously were not possible for them. As we have honed our skills in delivering online instruction over the past 12 months, we have realized that this method will continue to be the most effective and convenient for some of our students even after masks and physical distancing are no longer a regular part of our daily lives.
Please read on to learn more about the many successes that ALC students have had this semester. We look forward to sharing more updates about our program and the new ALC facility in the coming weeks and months. I thank you for your support of the Adult Learning Center, and ask that you continue your support of the students here at the ALC, as we all work together to transform lives through education!
Peace.
Jon Gilgenbach
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To all of our supporters: "Thank you!" |
Thank you for all you do to help us meet our mission of providing quality education for all members of our adult learning community! Whether through your financial donations, your referrals, or your volunteer work, we are so grateful. We wouldn't be where we are today without your support.
We'd also like to give a special shout out to the Erica P. John Fund for providing a special gift to help cover our moving expenses!
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Congratulations to all our students who passed GED tests this semester! |
We are excited to share that the following 14 students have passed at least one or more GED tests already this semester. Great work, Scholars!
Olatunde Ajibade
Stacy Ajibade
Whitney Bartleson
Azusena Casiano
Carla Cox
Javier Gutierrez
Dawntae Lowe
Vania Ngiebong
Patricia Presberry
Jacob Stout
Monique Tolbert
Jerel Washington
Joseph Watkins
Natasha West
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Our students are more motivated than ever to earn their GEDs |
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Our tutors have all gone above and beyond to make this year a success for our students! From learning the ins-and-outs of online tutoring, to being available to work socially-distanced in-person with our students, our tutors have been there to provide strong support every step of the way. |
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We’re excited to share that we had almost 70 new students enroll in our classes this semester. While the pandemic has posed many challenges to our GED program, the innovation of virtual learning has appealed to many who are seeking to make the most out of this season. Our virtual classes and ever-available online homework resources have made it possible for us to work with students who might otherwise have been unable to join in-person because of work schedules or family rhythms. |
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We continue to provide computer and internet skills training to our students--and community members! |
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Along with our virtual classes, we have continued to host weekly sessions teaching basic computer skills. These skills have become indispensable in today’s world, and it has been great to see our students learn and grow more confident in their abilities over the last 6 months. We have also opened up these classes to non-students as well, in hopes that this will be a way to forge more connections in our community. |
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We couldn't do this without our stellar teaching team! |
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Pao Khang - Math AM Teacher |
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To help face this challenging year, we’ve had two additional teachers join us since August. Pao Khang joined on last semester as our math teacher, and our students have loved learning from him! Even though he has not been able to host an in-person class for ALC students yet, he has done a masterful job at finding creative ways to teach our students virtually. |
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Beginning this spring, Kathrine Yets joined to teach one of our communications classes. These classes cover many of the necessary topics and skillsets needed to pass the Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, and Civics GED tests. Even though she has only been able to teach virtually, we’re so grateful for her dedication to creating a positive and welcoming learning environment for our students! |
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Kathrine Yets - Communications PM Teacher |
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Rebecca Litscher - Communications AM Teacher |
Roxie Brown - Communications PM Teacher |
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In addition to Pao and Kathrine, Rebecca Litscher and Roxie Brown have both continued teaching classes with us. Rebecca joined us early last year. Roxie is a veteran teacher with us, and her students love her classes! Mary Stearns, who teaches our beginner-level classes, has been working one-to-one with her students, as well as helping them connect with tutors who meet with them on a regular basis to help each individual student meet their learning goals. She holds the honor of being our longest-serving teacher! |
Mary Stearns - Reading and Language Arts AM Teacher |
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We are so thankful for all your support, especially during what has been a challenging season. We are excited about the opportunities on the horizon, and we look forward to continuing to provide excellent adult education experiences for all our students as we move forward! |
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