Summary: The Wayne County ABLE program partnered with the Fredericksburg Library to extend adult education to area residents.
Story: Confucius once said: You cannot open a book without learning something. The people opening books at the Fredericksburg Library as part of the Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program are a testament to Confuciuss claim.
ABLE is a program that provides free group and individualized instruction for adults who want to improve their math, reading and writing skills. The classes are designed to help students earn their GED, enter college or undergo vocational training, pass an entrance exam or improve their skills for personal reasons.
The Wayne County ABLE program has centers throughout the area in Wooster, Orrville, Rittman, Smithville and, most recently, Fredericksburg. The new branch was opened after the Fredericksburg Library approached the program with an offer they couldnt refuse.
The library, which is 100 percent donation-based and volunteer-run, proposed to lend the space and the manpower to open a program in their town.
The library has agreed to give us space to use here and they really want to have a positive impact on their community and so do we, said Marianne Bicker, the ABLE teacher at Fredericksburg. Were beautiful partners in this because we have the same mission and that is to impact literacy, which in turn will impact the families and their employability.
The classes were met with interest from people in the area wanting to achieve a GED, attend secondary education or improve their skill set for employability reasons.
Many people want to further their education, but they feel unequipped to take the necessary tests or enter post secondary schools, explained Bicker. A lot of those things require study skills and if people have been out awhile it can be daunting, she said. This helps them build their confidence, hone their skills and get ready to move on.
Thats why were here, said Bicker. To help people get on with their lives and realize their earning potential. To facilitate this process, students set short and long-term goals and take skill assessments so that ABLE teachers can craft individualized learning plans.
Now people with traveling difficulties or time constraints will be able to take classes close to home. This is a big advantage for those in the area who do not have easy access to transportation.
We are just thrilled to be able to open up and aim services to that particular part of the county, said Julie Kastner, ABLE program coordinator. Transportation is very difficult for a lot of people especially in that particular area. Its a hike into Wooster or Orrville or one of our other centers.
In the Fredericksburg area, there is a high concentration of people who were only formally educated through the eighth grade due to religion backgrounds, said Kastner. Many of these people now want more education for future employment purposes.
We expect to be able to reach a significant number of folks in that area that would otherwise lack basic literacy services, said Kastner.
The need for literacy learning is a problem everywhere, she said, including in Wayne County. In Wayne County, statistically 1 out of 9 people have not completed a high school education. Literacy is an issue, as is obtaining secondary credentials, said Kastner.
Now, any adult can sign up for the free classes. I embrace anyone who wants to learn, whatever level they are at, said Bicker. But we do a lot with goal setting also. The GED is just one step in where they ultimately end up. We see ourselves as a launch pad for whatever that next step is going to be, because we know that thats when theyre moving on and making some of those positive changes.
In what Bicker calls a treasure trove of wonderful people and books, adult students now take classes and meet with tutors as they study their way to a new future. To attend a class, register for the next orientation session at http://www.waynecountyable.org/ or call 330-988-1007.
