The Army Times, August 28, 2010 — In today’s issue of The Army Times reporter Susanne M. Schafer wrote that the Army is ending a program that helped nearly 3,000 high school dropouts earn high school equivalency certificates and become soldiers.

“The GED pilot program known as the Army’s prep school started here in summer 2008, when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan left the service scrambling to find soldiers,” Schafer wrote. “But since then, with the economy in a downward spiral and jobs hard to come by, more people with diplomas have been enlisting.”

In 2008, 82.8 percent of people who enlisted for active duty were high school graduates. That number jumped to 94.6 percent in 2009. “We’re a victim of our own recruiting success,” said Col. Kevin Shwedo, deputy commander at Fort Jackson, the Army’s largest training installation.

It turns out that recruits who were in the program’s last class and have been in basic training for about five weeks said they were grateful to squeak through. “If it weren’t for the program, I’d still be a shift manager at McDonald’s,” said Kristi Garcia of Alice, Texas.

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The News Gazette, August 20, 2010 — More students are signing up to participate in the GED program around the country, including students in east central Illinois. GED instructor Shevone Taylor of Rantoul told News-Gazette reporter Dave Hinton that many people come in with self-esteem problems, thinking they aren’t smart enough to get an education. But many people don’t realize they already have a good deal of the skills needed to be successful.

“Self-esteem is an issue, especially for the misplaced workers and older individuals who have been able to get jobs without school and have to start from ground one and to learn these skills,” Taylor said.

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MetroNews: The Voice of West Virginia, August 18, 2010 — “Students who may not excel in a traditional classroom can still stay in school and earn their diploma,” reporters write in today’s newspaper. “West Virginia is now a GED option state. This school year the West Virginia Department of Education is offering a pilot program in several school systems that allows 16, 17 and 18-year-olds to work toward their GEDs.”

Debra Kembler is the GED Policy Coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Education and says the program is geared toward career and technical students. “They will report to a GED preparation class and work on academics,” Kembler told MetroNews Wednesday. “And then the rest of the day they will go to a career/technical pathway class.”

If the students stay in school and pass the GED along with their technical classes, they’ll graduate with a diploma.

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The Washington Post, July 8, 2010 — “Virgil Ventura of the District wants to be an auto mechanic. Melvin Parks of the District wants a business degree. Roman Fuentes of Lorton wants something valuable he can take with him when he returns to the Philippines,” writes reporter Christy Goodman in today’s issue of The Washington Post.

“For most graduates, an education offers hope for the future. And for the April graduates of the General Educational Development program at the Alexandria Detention Center, getting an education gives them a chance to focus on the future while serving time for past actions.”

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Fairfax County Times, July 3, 2008 — “The 19 graduates trickled in from their cell blocks and put on their crimson graduation robes over their detention center jumpsuits,” was the lead of an article about the benefits of the GED program, which ran in the July 3 issue of the Fairfax Times. “With tears in his eyes, David Carter of Takoma Park, Md., took his diploma out from its white paper envelope. Almost in disbelief he put the diploma back and then pulled it out again moments later.”

“It’s a start for a new beginning,” said Carter, 44. “Anything is possible. For years I never thought I’d get this piece of paper.” He had dropped out of high school in the 11th grade and has spent a good chunk of his life in area jails.

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