Story written by Nancy Lewis
They say the third time’s the charm, and with the help of the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council, Juan hopes to pass a critical entrance test next fall that will help him conquer the GED exam. Juan–a hardworking, motivated man–has grappled with the GED twice in the past, in the hopes that the degree would open the doors to a more satisfying life. Each time he faced daunting challenges that interfered with achieving his goal.
At age 13 Juan had to drop out of public school to help support his family. In spite of the fact that he put in long hours at a full-time job, six years later Juan managed to go back to school on weekends and eventually finished grades 7, 8, and 9. High school proved especially challenging, though, since Juan was required to attend school Monday through Friday during the day and then go to work each night to support his mother and six siblings. He took the GED test but fell short of passing by just a few points.
Several years passed and Juan once again focused on earning his GED. He took a test to enter the Anne Arundel Community College GED prep program but missed passing by a hair’s breath. Impressed by his dedication, the college representative recommended that Juan contact the Literacy Council for help and then try to take the test again.
Juan didn’t hesitate, and now meets with AACLC tutor Harry Delong four to five evenings each week. Together, Harry and Juan work two-three hours each time they get together. Talk about dedication! Not surprisingly, Juan intends to take the AACC GED program admission test once again this fall.
