GED Scholars: A Lesson in Lifespan Literacy (2003)

October 6, 2003, marked a day of special celebration in Northeast Ohio. The GED Scholars Initiative, now in its second year, held a reception on the Kent State Stark Campus to honor stipend recipients, recognize their scholarly achievement, and congratulate Al Watson, a KSU graduate with a bachelors degree in psychology and sociology. Al's comment on receiving the enthusiastic applause from the gathering was an encouraging, Who's next? Who were these celebrants and honorees? GED peers, certainly, and their proud families and friends; GED Scholars Initiative Director, Sandra Golden and Project Assistant, Brian White, and their staff; and KSU literacy education faculty working with the Initiative, Nancy Padak and Bill Kist. But add to this celebration the strong administrative support for this work: College and Graduate School of Education Associate Dean Dale Cook, Stark Campus Dean William Bittle, Gary Padak, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and KSU President Carol Cartwright. And The Honorable Ralph Regula of the US House of Representatives, whose legislative leadership resulted in US Department of Education funding for this unique program, the only one of its kind in the nation. To all those in attendance, it was clear that he affirms lifespan literacy development in word and deed. As I listened to these students' encouraging and inspiring words, I knew they were unfolding a lifespan literacy story worth telling. Their comments centered on challenges, changes, and children. The GED Scholars span life stages themselves -young adults, middle-agers, even Golden Buckeyes! Those who spoke at the celebration cited a litany of challenges ranging from low family and cultural support of education, particularly for females, to inappropriate education in early years that embedded expectations of failure, not success. They talked briefly of the stigma of holding a GED. But all of them quickly moved from talking about their challenges to citing the agents who changed their perceptions of their literate selves. For some, this was an adult-teacher, friend, or partner-who saw above, around, or through the facade of inability. For others, the agent was a pivotal experience-perhaps military service or imprisonment for a moment of poor judgment. For many, the change agent was a child, their own child, someone who they hoped would not fail or be failed but who they themselves would support and nurture and sustain by sharing a richly literate life. The decision to become educated can be a difficult one, however, as Al Watson reminds us: It is a hard choice and requires much from especially older students who have a family to support...and those single parents who must give up any kind of social life in order to get their education and be a parent at the same time. Al made that difficult decision and, for him, it was worth the work. If I can do it with disabilities, then so can you if you wish to achieve; but first know what you want, and what you're willing to pay to get it, 'cause nothing is free. His walk across the stage last December to receive his diploma marked the first of his rewards. The Scholars use their own experience as a base to mentor and encourage each other. Rob Nitzsche, a GED holder who is in a graduate program at KSU studying glacial geomorphology, has these words for the current cohort of Scholars: There are many opportunities in this world to get knocked down, and one must search relentlessly for opportunities to build upward away from despair. The opportunities are out there, and when you find them, which you will, seize them and don't be afraid of failure! Shawn Fleury attributes his academic success to the GED Scholars program and members: This program, and its members, have been instrumental in helping me start a successful college career. With their help and support I was able to earn a 3.5 GPA for the fall semester. Most inspiring of all was listening to these GED scholars speak with confidence about their futures. …