GED Recipients and English as a Second Language Students Honored at SCC's Adult Education and Literacy Student Recognition Ceremony

Published: 06/22/2010

Students were recognized for receiving their General Education Development (GED) credential and for achievement, improvement and attendance in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Four students, two from Mexico and one each from Ukraine and Vietnam, were recognized for becoming U.S. citizens. 
 
GED student Rhonda Yoder and ESL student Hsianglan Eschenbrenner were each presented with a $100 book scholarship from the SCC Foundation Board at the ceremony. This was the first time the Foundation has awarded scholarships at the AEL Student Recognition Ceremony. The criteria for the scholarships were strong attendance, academic improvement, serving as a role model and enrollment at SCC for the upcoming fall semester. 
 
More than $2,800 is awarded in book scholarships by the Foundation each semester. 
 
During the 2009-10 academic year, nearly 350 SCC students received their GED credentials and more than 450 SCC students took part in the ESL program.
 
“We all know that it isn’t easy to return to the classroom after many years or begin studies in a second language,” said Michael Banks, SCC’s vice president for academic and student affairs, as he addressed the students during the ceremony. “We hope that you will think about how this achievement, whether you completed the GED or ESL program or became a U.S. citizen, can serve as the beginning of a successful future.”
 
German Chajón, 40, a GED graduate, was the GED student speaker for the evening. German is from Guatemala and earned his GED credential in April, thanks to the motivation of his three daughters. He found a new job in a more rewarding industry and plans on taking more classes at SCC.
 
“Do not stop going to school. Finish it,” Chajón said. “You will have mountains of excuses not to do it, but you will not regret it.”
 
The keynote speaker was Betty Osiek, 79, who also received her GED later in life. 
 
“I had been out of school for 12 years, yet I was able to go from a GED certificate to a Ph.D. in seven years,” Osiek said. 
 
She went on to teach Spanish and French at the collegiate level and taught the first-ever Spanish class at SCC in 1988. More recently, Osiek was an ESL volunteer at SCC for seven years. She is retired now, but occasionally tutors friends, colleagues and acquaintances.
 
“For many students in the GED and ESL programs, this is the first step toward a better job and a better life,” said Diane Schroeder, associate dean of extended learning at SCC. “Adult students face many challenges when they decide to return to school, and this ceremony celebrates their success.”
 
The Adult Education and Literacy program at St. Charles Community College teaches basic reading, math and writing skills to prepare people to take the GED tests and to assist non-native speakers in gaining English proficiency. The program extends to four counties (St. Charles, Warren, Lincoln and Pike), and free day and evening classes are available.
 
For more information about the AEL program at SCC, call 636-922-8411 or visit www.stchas.edu/ael.
 
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences, and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational, and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.