Adult Education kicks off school year with 50s themed celebration

The Northeast Texas Community College Adult Education Program kicked off the first week of the school year with a 50s themed celebration. The program recently relocated its office from the main NTCC campus to the Community Resource Center (CRC) at 105 N. Riddle, which is the old Mount Pleasant High School building that was constructed in†1927. The staff decided to take students back to the past by dressing up in 50s themed attire, serving popcorn and playing 50s music throughout the week.

?We wanted to do something fun to get everyone excited about the new year. We thought a retro 50s theme was appropriate in our new surroundings,? Sue Barker, NTCC Director of Adult Education, said.

The Community Resource Center is a partnership between NTCC and Mount Pleasant ISD. Both English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Education Development (GED) classes are taught at the center during the day and evening. NTCC offers these courses free of charge to local residents interested in furthering their education. Classes are also offered at a variety of other locations around the area, including Pittsburg, Mount Vernon, Naples and Winnsboro.

?Our mission is to make adult education accessible to all residents of the area. If you or someone you know would like to learn English or finish your GED, we are here to help you,? Barker said.

GED students frequently go on to enroll in NTCC and finish their degrees after receiving their diploma.

?We find that a lot of people who didn?t finish high school feel that education is just not for them. This couldn?t be further from the truth. Adult students frequently have higher success rates in college than traditional students. We just help give them the boost of confidence they need to fulfill their potential,? Barker said.

†In order to enroll in classes, students should sign up for an orientation session. This can be done by stopping by the center or calling Sally Knight at 903-434-8252 for GED information or Ruth Fernando at 903-434-8341 for ESL information. To keep up with the latest news, follow the Adult Education Program at Northeast Teas Community College on Facebook.