VGCC, Shiloh Church Plan GED Classes To Serve Central Downtown Henderson

There are many adults in the downtown Henderson area who did not finish high school, need to get their high school equivalency diploma (GED), but do not have transportation to Vance-Granville Community College.

Vance-Granville and Shiloh Baptist Church are joining forces to take the classes to the people who need them. The college is planning to begin offering the free GED classes at Shiloh Baptist on College Street in early October on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Prior to the commencement of classes, an information evening will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the multi-purpose room of the Shiloh Baptist fellowship hall. VGCC personnel will be on hand to explain the process of taking GED classes and tests and to answer questions from potential students.

The Rev. Joseph Ratliff, pastor of Shiloh Baptist, said the church completed a new fellowship building in the summer of 2003, and the church felt led to extend its ministries to the community. Shiloh already offers tutorial programs to pre-K through 8th graders, and it has tutors who work with high school students. In talks with Leo Kelly Jr., VGCC’s dean of Continuing Education, Ratliff said he learned of the need for another off-campus site to offer the GED instruction.

“Shiloh is known as a ‘mother to everyone’,” Ratliff said. “We offer several food programs, as well as the tutoring programs for school children.”

He added that the church is near the Flint Hill community, which has many school dropouts and many factory workers who have lost their jobs due to recent plant closings and who need more education in order to return to work. “Many of these people do not have the transportation to go to Vance-Granville to get the GED classes, but many of them can walk to Shiloh,” Ratliff said.

Sue Grissom, VGCC’s director of Basic Skills and Community-Based Programs, said the GED program is “a welcoming, invitational education.” Students are invited to learn at their own pace, and the program offers a great deal of individual attention, she said. “All the GED instruction and books are free to the students,” she added.

Ratliff said that, although Shiloh Baptist already has programs to help young people learn, “In order to benefit the young, we must help adults, and this GED program is just one way to do that.”

Persons who would like to volunteer in the GED instruction at Shiloh are also invited to the information session on Oct. 7. Registration for classes will be held on the first night that students attend.