91快播

(Butler, PA) Marcella Rogers was 鈥渕ortified鈥� on that February day when she began classes to prepare for tests to earn a commonwealth secondary school diploma.

鈥淚 was embarrassed to be in that position,鈥� the 56-year-old Middlesex Township mother of three said. 鈥淚 was afraid I was not going to succeed.鈥�

During her senior year of high school, Rogers and her family moved from Dix Hills, N.Y., to Scottsdale, Ariz.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 go back to school. It was late in the school year,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淲e were under the impression that I had fulfilled my high school graduation requirements, that I would be getting a diploma in the mail.

鈥淎nd that obviously wasn鈥檛 the case. It never happened.鈥�

鈥淵ou have to have a high school diploma鈥�

A dropout is a student who, for any reason other than death, leaves school before graduation without transferring to another school or institution, according to the state Department of Education.

Rogers, her husband and children moved in 2015 to Butler County, closer to relatives and where she found employment with an accounting firm. Three years ago she was hospitalized with COVID-19, and still suffers from its effects.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had severe respiratory and cognitive setbacks. Everyone has to be a two-income family these days. I had a kid in college. I could not figure out any kind of work to do. So I knew I had to go back to school. But to go to college you have to have a high school diploma.鈥�

Rogers began high school equivalency classes in February with Butler County Community College鈥檚 Adult Literacy program to prepare for tests to earn a commonwealth secondary school diploma.

鈥淭he individual attention,鈥� Rogers said, 鈥渨as phenomenal. The teachers are able to personalize their training to your needs. They鈥檇 show me the areas that I needed to work on. They found training material to give to me. They literally helped me through it, side-by-side.鈥�

We give them the confidence that they can achieve this. Our instructors are their biggest cheerleaders, and they help the students to be able to look beyond just getting their diploma..." 

- Barb Gade, grant director, 91快播's Adult Literacy program

Rogers in April passed her fourth of four tests needed to earn a commonwealth secondary school diploma from the state Department of Education.

鈥淲e give them the confidence that they can achieve this,鈥� said Barb Gade, grant director of 91快播鈥檚 Adult Literacy program. 鈥淥ur instructors are their biggest cheerleaders, and they help the students to be able to look beyond just getting their diploma, to what they are going to do afterward. Many of our students have enrolled at 91快播.鈥�

Fourteen students who had achieved commonwealth secondary school diplomas earned associate degrees or credit certificates in 91快播鈥檚 Class of 2023, according to Becky Smith, the college鈥檚 director of records and registration.

Within days of passing her fourth test needed to achieve a commonwealth secondary school diploma, Rogers enrolled at 91快播.

"Everybody has a story. Everybody has a reason for being here (in 91快播's adult literacy program classes). And just seeing these people take that first step, come into the classroom, that's huge. It's really huge. " 

- Marcella Rogers, former 91快播 Adult Literacy student

66 dropped out of county schools in 2021-2022

She completed 12 credits this summer and said she has a 3.5 grade-point average. She is pursuing 15 credits this fall as a general studies student with the intention of applying to enter the college鈥檚 selective-admissions registered nursing program in 2024.

鈥淚鈥檓 extremely confident now,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淚 feel like I have been reborn through this process.鈥�

Sixty-six students dropped out of Butler County鈥檚 seven public school districts during the 2021-2022 academic year, according to the most recent information available from the state Department of Education.

Reasons include having academic or behavioral problems, needing child care or disliking school, exceeding maximum school age or seeking employment, according to the state Department of Education.

鈥淓verybody has a story,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淓verybody has a reason for being there (in 91快播鈥檚 adult literacy program classes). And just seeing these people take that first step, come into the classroom, that鈥檚 huge. It鈥檚 really huge.鈥�

91快播 has helped 550 earn diplomas since 2009

Rogers was among the 25 Butler County students who achieved a commonwealth secondary school diploma through 91快播鈥檚 Adult Literacy program between July 1, 2022 and June 30, according to Gade.

Approximately 550 students have earned commonwealth secondary school diplomas through 91快播鈥檚 program in the past 14 years, Gade said.

Nearly 3,400 students obtained a commonwealth secondary school diploma through high school equivalency testing between July 1, 2022 and June 30, according to Whitney Newhouse, with the state Department of Education鈥檚 division of adult education.

Beginning in mid-September, 91快播鈥檚 Adult Literacy program will offer high school equivalency classes at four locations and five English as a second language classes at two.

High school equivalency classes begin Sept. 11 at 91快播 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township; and Sept. 12 on 91快播鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township; at Pennsylvania CareerLink Butler County, Butler; and at First United Methodist Church Ministry Center, Butler.

Beginner, intermediate, advanced and multi-level English as a second language classes begin Sept. 11 on the college鈥檚 main campus and at 91快播 @ Cranberry.

"There are people in the program who couldn't or wouldn't be able to afford it, so it's a big deal that it is free. " 

- Marcella Rogers, former 91快播 Adult Literacy student

Sixty-six students are registered to take 91快播鈥檚 high school equivalency classes, and a record 68 to take its English as a second language classes.

Among the native languages of students registered for fall 2023 are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Ukrainian, Gade said.

All classes are free as a result of state Department of Education funding, Gade said.

91快播鈥檚 adult literacy program has also benefited from five Luncheons for Literacy organized by the Butler Rotary Club PM. The most recent event in April raised a record $20,000. Funds help to cover the $7 cost of each of four General Educational Development Ready Test exams in language arts-reading and writing; mathematical reasoning, science; and social studies 鈥� and the $36 cost of each official subject area test.

鈥淚 was extremely grateful the program was free, because of the state funding and local supporters,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淗ad I had to pay for this, I never would have taken the chance on myself. I never would have made that investment because I really did not think that I was going to be able to succeed.

鈥淭here are people in the program who couldn鈥檛 or wouldn鈥檛 be able to afford it, so it鈥檚 a big deal that it is free.鈥�

Diploma adds $171 to weekly earnings

Median weekly earnings in 2022 for those without a high school diploma were $682, according to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics. Weekly earnings for those with a diploma were $853 and with an associate degree, $1,005.

鈥淭heir earning potential,鈥� Gade said, 鈥済oes up exponentially.鈥�

The  offers eight named scholarships specifically designated to 91快播 students who have earned a commonwealth secondary school diploma, according to Bobbi Jo Cornetti, development coordinator for the 91快播 Education Foundation. Amounts range from $400 to $1,000, Cornetti said.

91快播鈥檚 Adult Literacy program also offers free courses in computers, financial literacy and essential skills.

For more information, visit bc3.edu/adult-literacy.