At age 41, Amber Berry found herself cracking open books again.
Berry, of Yukon, needed a high school equivalency to meet her career goals.
The process has been a rewarding one, she said. She started classes in September last year and completed her final exam earlier this month at Canadian Valley Technology Center.
She is the first to earn her high school equivalency this school year (which officially begins Aug. 10).
“During that time, I went to classes twice a week for two hours each day,” Berry said. “I also studied at home the rest of the week.”
Adult Education is offered throughout the school year. The time it takes to complete is different for each student, said Truda Hibbs, Adult Education and Family Literacy instructor.
“Every student begins at different places in all the subjects, and every student works at a different pace, depending on how much time they can devote to study,” Hibbs said.
Students finish in as little as several weeks. Some finish in a school year. Others may take more than a year. Hibbs gets excited after every student completes their final exam.
“I am dancing-around-the-room excited every time someone finishes,” she said. “It is such a big milestone for them.”
Prospective students may choose to attend free test preparation classes at CV Tech’s Cowan-Yukon/Mustang Campus or at the El Reno Campus. Classes are also provided at Etta Dale Junior High School in El Reno. Classes prepare students for the GED®, TASC® or HiSET® exams. Though the prep classes are free, the exams will result in a fee.
Those who pass either GED® or HiSET® will receive the state’s official high school equivalency diploma, a credential issued by the Oklahoma Department of Education. To find out more, call Hibbs at (405) 345-2536.
Berry said the process was rewarding.
“I would highly recommend the GED (General Educational Development) program to anyone,” she said. “The teachers are very nice and helpful.”
Berry currently works as a special educational paraprofessional. She hopes to continue working in the field for the foreseeable future.
