It looks like one of those little one-room schoolhouses in the old storybooks -- a hundred-year-old house at 825 Orange Avenue, on the corner of Orange Avenue and Eighth Street, with high windows and a set of steps leading up to the front porch. Inside is the odd combination of wood floors and computer stations.
The scenario here is increasingly common in these economically trying times. The people who come here represent all ages and all walks of life, yet they sit throughout the room as peers with one goal in common -- a bull's-eye that says "G.E.D."
In a side room is the office of Diana Santoyo, executive director of Adult Literacy Plus, a nonprofit organization that has been making a difference by providing literacy programs for adults since 1981.
"Eighty to 85 percent of A.L. Plus students who receive their G.E.D go on to attend AWC, but we still have a goal of reaching 100 percent," says Santoyo. "Now having a G.E.D or diploma is more like having an eighth-grade education, and a bachelor's degree is like having a high school diploma, and things are going to keep on changing as the economy changes."
Changes to the requirements
Santoyo says that, at her last directors' meeting with the Arizona Department of Education, the state announced that the cost of the G.E.D test will continue to rise -- to $180 this year -- and that it will now be done completely by computer. Furthermore, the test will be completely revised to be more difficult, and the cost will rise again, this time to $200.
A.L. Plus is already mobilizing in response to the imminent changes -- creating online classes and making its current curriculum more computer oriented to better prepare students for college and the competitive job market. The organization is also looking for ways to offset the rising cost of the test.
Now many people are aspiring for more than just that high school equivalency, says Santoyo. To that end, A.L . Plus also has a partnership with AWC and the United Way. This year, the organization also has received donations from Arizona Public Service (APS), and it is always looking for more partners to help meet its goals.
Stepping stone
With all the impressive results, A.L. Plus is pleased to be the first stepping stone for students on their climb to a better future.
Besides the main office on Orange Avenue, classes are also held at some of the local libraries, including San Luis and the Foothills; and online services are provided for La Paz County students.
Overall, A.L. Plus provides GED preparation, online GED, English as a Second Language (ESL) and multi-level classes in math and writing. Students must be 16 or older and be able to attend six to eight hours a week.
There is a placement test, and students must provide proof of legal residency. The tuition or fee to enroll is charged on a sliding scale based on the student's income.
"YES! You can volunteer," says the A.L. Plus brochure. Anyone interested in volunteering for the summer or being a paid tutor should call Adult Literacy Plus at (928)343-9363, or go online to http://www.yumaalps.org/
