Number of Adults Passing the GED Grows due to Literacy Volunteers’ Student-centered Classes throughout Union County

For adults in Union County looking to obtain their GED high school equivalency, the best kept secret is the 26 year-old non-profit organization Literacy Volunteers of Union County and its free student-centered classes provided at multiple locations throughout the county.

The program has recently expanded in order to assist adults who want to get their high school equivalency in order to advance in their current job, get a better job or go to college.   In recent months the organization has held morning, daytime and evening classes in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, and Scotch Plains.

Under the direction of Literacy Specialist Dawn Harrison of Scotch Plains, and with the support of 16 trained volunteer tutors, the list of students who have already successfully passed all or part of the GED Test continues to grow. 

It includes: 

Xiomara Banitto of Elizabeth

Carlos Gonzalez of Elizabeth

Veronica Huerta of Elizabeth

Maria Monteagudo of Elizabeth

Tamara Ovalle of Elizabeth

Hueguette Tcheo of Elizabeth

Karen McDougald of Linden

Frank Maglio of Linden

Mara Mendes of Linden

Phillipa Oscar of Linden

Donna Perez of Rahway

Keith Richardson of Rahway

Anthony Bullen of Roselle

Lydia Charles of Roselle

Joseph Cruz of Roselle

Veronica M. Huerta of Roselle

Christine Exum of Plainfield

Franz Bedatsky of Scotch Plains

Lisette Rodriguez of Hillside

Maria Ramahlo of Edison

Liseta Leite of Union

Launched by Literacy Volunteers of Union County in 2009, in response to the growing need in the community for more flexible, student-centered programming for students with the greatest educational and financial need, Literacy Volunteers’ free GED Test Prep classes are offered four to six hours a week, for ten to fifteen weeks. 

"We have been tremendously successful in enrolling, tutoring, and preparing our adult students to take the GED high school equivalency exam," said Dawn Harrison, literacy specialist and coordinator of the GED program. "Our unique one-on-one and small group student-centered approach to teaching provides adult students who have significant educational and financial challenges with the needed support and flexibility of scheduling to effectively prepare for the test.  Our wonderful highly trained volunteer tutors make this tremendously valuable program possible!"

In just a few short years, LV-UC's award-winning GED Test Prep Program has grown from five students in 2009 to now serving approximately 200 students a year.

Hats off to the dedicated volunteer tutors:

Marvin Smith of Westfield

Paul Gessner of Westfield

Mike Krasner of Westfield

Jill Spellman of Westfield

Marie McGurk of Scotch Plains

Alayna Rosenblum of Scotch Plains

Delores Jackson of Iselin

Heather Agueros of Fanwood

Marie Gerke of Fanwood

Cathy Liegel of Cranford

Roslyn Reed of Cranford

Val Ryan of Cranford

Sydell Kessler-Levy of Springfield

Anthony Manochio of Union

Linda Drumm of Union

For information about enrolling in Literacy Volunteers free GED Test Prep Classes, call Dawn at 908/486-1777.