About |
Horry County Schools Adult & Community Education
3101 Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, 843-839-5400
1620 Sherwood Drive, Conway, SC 29526, 843-488-6200
www.edtheturtle.com
February 22, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dr. Virginia G. Simmons, Director, 843-488-6200
HORRY COUNTY SCHOOLS ADULT EDUCATION AWARENESS WEEK
Horry County is home to almost 40,000 adults over the age of 25 who do not have a high school credential – diploma or GED – and Horry County Schools Adult Education is inviting those citizens to take the next step in their education.
Adult Education Awareness Week is February 25 to March 2 at both the Conway Education Center at 1620 Sherwood Drive and the Myrtle Beach Family Learning Center at 3101 Oak Street. Both sites will feature an array of free activities and events to support adults in earning a GED or completing a high school diploma. With flexible day and evening class schedules, free childcare, college and work-ready courses, and affordable program and services, Adult Education is poised for action.
Director Dr. Virginia G. Simmons notes, “There are so many additional opportunities for people who earn a diploma or GED. We are currently reaching only one percent of the eligible population in Horry County, and our Awareness Week is designed to attract those people to our schools to make plans for their futures.”
“On average, an adult with a high school credential earns more than $400,000 throughout their career compared to someone without a credential,” she continues. “We want people to know that Adult Ed can help them earn that credential and more forward, ‘ready for work, ready for life’ as our motto says.”
The schedule of Adult Education Awareness Week activities is as follows:
• Saturday, Feb. 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Kickoff at Conway Walmart
• Monday, Feb. 27 from 9:00 to Noon – Library card drive and community outreach at Conway Education Center (CEC)
• Monday, Feb. 27 from 10:00 a.m. to noon – All About College featuring Ms. Thyssene Frederick at Myrtle Beach Family Learning Center (MBFLC)
• Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Conway Education Center Open House with food and entertainment
• Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. – All About Banking at MBFLC
• Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Bring a Friend Resume Writing Workshop at CEC
• Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. – Personal Safety featuring safety expert Paul Yurkin at MBFLC
• Thursday, March 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Opportunity Fair at CEC
• Thursday, March 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. – Jackie Stanley presents “Cultural Competency” followed by a sampling of ethnic pastas at MBFLC
• Friday, March 2 from 8:00 a.m. to Noon – Yard Sale at MBFLC
Adult Education Classes are open to any person age 17 or older who has officially withdrawn from school. Classes are held Monday through Friday and students may select from flexible time slots to accommodate their individual schedules. Registration and intake testing is $20, each high school course is $25, and the GED preparation course is $25. Registration and class cost for English as a Second Language instruction is $50.
Students who want to earn a high school diploma must successfully complete the requirements for 24 Carnegie units and pass the South Carolina Exit Exam. Units previously earned in high school do count and will be verified on each student’s high school transcript.
The General Education Development test is an alternate way for an adult to receive a high school credential. The eight-hour test covers competencies in five subject areas:
Mathematics; Language Arts, Writing; Social Studies; Science; and Language Arts, Reading. Each Adult Education Center provides screening and practice tests, as well as individualized courses of study, for students interested in taking the GED test. The test is $80 and is administered through the SC Department of Education at locations across South Carolina, including Conway.
Adult Education classes follow the Horry County Schools academic calendar. Additional services for adult education students include Basic Skills classes; WorkKeys Career Readiness training; English as a Second Language classes; and College and Career Counseling.
Educational childcare is available for children up to age 5 whose parents are participating in Adult Education programs. Childcare is free, however parents must participate in Parent & Child Together time and parenting classes.
For more information and to register, call the Adult Education Office at 843-488-6200. All Adult Education programs and services are available at the two main locations in Conway and Myrtle Beach; limited services are offered at the six satellite centers.
Main Centers:
• Conway Education Center, 1620 Sherwood Drive, Conway
• Myrtle Beach Family Learning Center, 3101 Oak Street, Myrtle Beach
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