In her speech to hundreds of educators at the day-long summit, 2014 Londer GED graduate Myldred Silvia stressed how a GED opened the door to studies at Portland Community College and her plans for a career. Silvia, who describes herself as a "grateful recovering addict," is now a successful college student. She was one of two students chosen by Oregon GED officials to speak at the summit.
"Londer Learning Center is where the world around me opened up and I gained a broader perspective of my place in it”, she said. "I have made the Dean’s List twice this year, working to get an AA degree in Social Work."
In her closing comments, Silvia encouraged instructors to " keep doing what you do—it matters. Without your patience, people like me who deserve a second chance would forever be lost." The crowd gave her a standing ovation.
The Center's work was also showcased in workshops. Dozens of corrections educators and instructors from at-risk youth programs and community colleges attended a workshop on Londer Learning Center's techniques in motivating adults in re-entry to succeed in education.
“In Oregon, there are about 32,000 felons under supervision in the community, and 14,000 felons incarcerated in state prisons and county jails," LLC Manager Carole Scholl noted. "A third of these lack high school diplomas, so there is a lot of interest from Oregon's GED instructors in how to help ex-offenders engage in education."
Londer Learning Center staff also presented a second workshop focuses on teaching adults with learning disabilities, and how to accommodate these students during testing.
The Londer Learning Center is located on the fourth floor of the Mead Building at 421 SW 5th Ave.
For more information, please contact carole.a.scholl@multco.us . To refer clients, please call 503.988.3466 .