College to offer residents high school equivalency class

Residents who dropped out of high school can now receive their diplomas through a college program.

Western Wyoming Community College’s High-School Equivalency class is now being offered at both the Green River and Rock Springs campuses.

Laurie Carollo, who works in adult basic education at the Green River campus, said both campuses are getting ready to start their Hi S.E.T. programs. Hi S.E.T. has replaced the Generation Educational Development program.

Carollo said those who are interested in obtaining a Hi S.E.T. certificate are encouraged to take the Smart Start class and screening the college offers.

During the Smart Start class, students complete vision, hearing, attention and visual-stress syndrome tests.

The visual-stress syndrome test determines how the brain responds to the black print on white paper. Carollo said a lot of people see the lines swim or swirl when they are trying to read. Unfortunately, these people never even realize they have the syndrome because it is how they have always seen. It is such an easy fix, she said. All one needs to do is put a colored screen over the paper.

She said many of the residents who take these screenings find out they have an issue, which may have contributed to their dropping out of high school.

Kelly Strampe, who works in ABE and English as a Second Language at Western’s Rock Springs campus, said the students are also tested on what they know including reading, math and language skills. This test costs $5, and is required because it gives the teachers a better idea of where the student is at.

Carollo said one of the first questions a perspective student always asks is one of the hardest ones for her to answer. They always want to know how long it will take to obtain their Hi S.E.T. certificate. She said how long it will take is how much they need to learn and how much time they have to dedicate to learning it. A lot of these students have families and jobs to work around.

Carollo said some who were only a couple of credits short have completed the program in one or two months, while others can take two to three years. It all depends on when they dropped out too. The age of the students also range widely. Some come after a couple years of dropping out, while at one time they had a retired man attend the classes.

Strampe said all of this testing is also a way for them to get to know the students better and how they can better help them in getting that diploma. At the end of their schooling, the participant has to take the Hi S.E.T. exam, which costs $60 to take. If they pass the test, they receive their Hi S.E.T. certificate and can choose whether or not to attend a graduation ceremony.

Those interested in these classes will want to visit the Learning Center office at either campus. Green River’s Smart Start class is scheduled to take place Aug. 29; and the learning center opens Aug. 22. Rock Springs’ Smart Start class is Aug. 22 and the Hi S.E.T. classes will start Aug. 29. Carollo said Green River’s schedule is more flexible since it is based on participation.

Both campuses will also offer night classes in October. For more information contact the Green River Learning Center office at 872-1319 or the Rock Springs office at 382-1829.

 

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