High School Equivalency (HSE) recipients and English as a Second Language (ESL) students honored at SCC’s Adult Education and Literacy Student Recognition Ceremony

Published: 06/10/2016

For Nick Goodwin, passing the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) meant getting a second chance. “I didn’t give it my all in high school,” Goodwin said. “I wanted to feel accomplished.”

Students celebrate their achievement at the 2016 Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) recognition ceremony June 9 at St. Charles Community College.

Goodwin felt that sense of accomplishment when he graduated with honors. “Seeing the shock on my parents’ faces was priceless,” Goodwin said.

On Thursday, June 9, Goodwin was honored with 82 other students during a recognition ceremony for the Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program at SCC. Some 52 students were recognized for receiving their High School Equivalency credential. 

As for Goodwins’s future, the door is wide open. “I plan on starting to apply for scholarships so I can further my education,” he said. “I plan on attending SCC and earning a computer programming degree and later moving on to a university.” 

Thirty-one students were acknowledged for their achievement, improvement and attendance in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Two students were honored for becoming U.S. citizens: Claudia Gonzalez and Javier Remolina, both from Colombia. Fifteen students received the Attendance Award for 250 or more hours of class attendance. Eleven students received the Continuous Improvement Award for outstanding commitment to learning a new language and six students received the Special Achievement Award for going far beyond the expected commitment to attendance and learning.

During the 2015-16 school year, 357 students attended high school equivalency preparation classes and 116 SCC students received their HSE credentials. Four hundred and fifty-two SCC students from 56 countries took part in the ESL program.

The Adult Education and Literacy program at St. Charles Community College teaches basic reading, math and writing skills to prepare people to take the HiSET (formerly GED) tests and to assist non-native speakers in gaining English proficiency. The program offers free day and evening classes in four counties; St. Charles, Warren, Lincoln and Pike.

Learn more about the HiSET at hiset.ets.org.  For more information about the AEL program at SCC, call 636-922-8411 or visit 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 stchas.edu.