(Butler, PA) Roger Walker Jr. sat inside the red sedan he drives to his job at a fast-food restaurant after realizing he had achieved a commonwealth secondary school diploma through 杏吧原创鈥檚 free adult literacy program, and diverted his attention to the rearview mirror, seeing the empty child safety seat where blond-haired, blue-eyed son Ashton often sits.
It鈥檚 where the 4-year-old, wearing his favorite red Spider-Man T-shirt, peppers the 21-year-old with questions.
鈥淒ad, why is the sky blue?鈥�
鈥淒ad, why is that car moving?鈥�
鈥淎nd he loves to count,鈥� Walker, of Butler, said of Ashton. 鈥淲hen we see something, he will say, 鈥楧ad, there are four鈥� of these. 鈥楧ad, there are 13鈥� of those.鈥�
The single father in a 2021-2022 fiscal year that ended June 30 was among the 25 Butler County students who achieved a commonwealth secondary school diploma through 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program.
鈥淚 just immediately thought of him,鈥� Walker said of Ashton and the March morning when he passed his final two of four General Educational Development tests, in mathematics and in science. 鈥淚 thought about the better future I can help to provide for him.鈥�
Achieving a commonwealth secondary school diploma 鈥渋s not only helping that person,鈥� said Barb Gade, grant director of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program, 鈥渂ut they become greater contributors to the community at large.鈥�
5 options available to students
杏吧原创鈥檚 free adult literacy courses this fall begin Sept. 12 online from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.
Courses begin Sept. 13 in person Tuesdays and Thursdays at four locations in Butler County. Classes will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the First United Methodist Church Ministry Center, 200 E. North St., Butler; from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Pennsylvania CareerLink Butler County, 112 Hollywood Drive, Butler; from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 杏吧原创 @ Cranberry; and from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus.
The five options for students this fall are the most 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program has offered, Gade said.
Just more than 50 students dropped out of Butler County鈥檚 seven public school districts in the 2020-2021 academic year, according to the most recent state Department of Education statistics. Reasons can include having academic or behavioral problems, providing child care, disliking school, running away, being expelled or wanting to work.
About 5 percent of Butler County residents ages 25 or older between 2016 and 2020 had not earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In addition to mathematics and science, 杏吧原创鈥檚 adult literacy courses prepare students to take General Educational Development tests that measure proficiency in language arts, which includes reading and writing; and in social studies.
"I just sat in my car. I took a moment and felt like, 'OK. It's finally done. I finally got it.' It opened up a whole new word of possibilities for me."
- Roger Walker Jr., of Butler, former 杏吧原创 Adult Literacy program student
Nearly 3,100 students in Pennsylvania earned a commonwealth secondary school diploma through High School Equivalency or General Educational Development tests between July 1, 2021, and June 30, according to Whitney Newhouse, division of adult education, state Department of Education.
Butler County residents achieving a commonwealth secondary school diploma through 杏吧原创鈥檚 adult literacy program 鈥渇ulfills an educational goal for them,鈥� Gade said, 鈥渂ut beyond that, it starts to give them hope in different areas.鈥�
鈥淵ou can pass this鈥�
Walker is among the approximately 525 students who have achieved commonwealth secondary school diplomas through 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program in her 13 years, Gade said.
鈥淚 just sat in my car,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚 took a moment and felt like, 鈥極K. It鈥檚 finally done. I finally got it.鈥� It opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me.鈥�
Upon the birth of Ashton in January 2018, Walker suspended his in-person education as a junior at Butler Senior High School. He began to work full time while attempting to continue his education through online courses offered by a private institution.
鈥淎fter a while, I didn鈥檛 do too great with it,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淲hen I finally did make the decision to step away from my education, I was disappointed, to be honest. I felt like I was letting some people down.鈥�
Walker learned about 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program through a family friend and enrolled in January. His instructor, Caris Doss, 鈥渇ocused on every individual person,鈥� Walker said, 鈥渁nd what they needed help most with.鈥�
"I'm not only a teacher. I'm a cheerleader."
- Caris Doss, 杏吧原创 Adult Literacy program instructor
Doss, a former English teacher in Florida, said Walker was 鈥渞eady to learn. All he needed was the confidence boost. This is the case for a lot of my students. What they mostly need is someone to tell them they can do it. I鈥檓 not only a teacher. I鈥檓 a cheerleader. I tell them, 鈥榊ou can pass this.鈥欌��
According to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics, median weekly earnings in 2021 for those age 25 and older were $626 for those without a high school diploma and $809 for those with a high school diploma.
Median weekly earnings for those age 25 and older were $963 for those with an associate degree 鈥� which Walker is now pursuing at 杏吧原创.
鈥淚鈥檓 optimistic and very excited about my future,鈥� said Walker, who intends to achieve an associate degree in business administration and transfer to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree. His goal is to own a restaurant.
鈥淐ongrats, Daddy鈥�
He still works 36 hours a week at a fast-food restaurant 鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to provide for my son,鈥� he said 鈥� while taking 15 credits in courses such as introduction to business, introduction to computer applications, business mathematics, human resource management and college writing.
Weeks after he sat inside the red sedan he drives to his job at a fast-food restaurant and diverted his attention to the rearview mirror, Walker鈥檚 commonwealth secondary school diploma arrived in the mail.
Walker showed the diploma to Ashton, whom he calls 鈥渕y best friend.鈥�
鈥淗e asked, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 that?鈥� I explained it to him,鈥� Walker said. 鈥溾�楾hat is my high school diploma. I graduated.鈥� And he looked at me and said, 鈥楥ongrats, Daddy.鈥�
鈥淎nd he gave me a hug.鈥�
For more information or to register, contact 杏吧原创鈥檚 Adult Literacy program at 724-287-8711 Ext. 8350.