Londer Center Graduates Celebrate
GEDs bring
second chance
to adult learners
Community residents gathered
last Thursday at the Multnomah
County Building in southeast
Portland to celebrate 75 adult
probationers and parolees who
received their GED from the
Londer Learning Center.
The center, which is a GED
and job skills program for adults,
serves almost 1,000 individuals
each year, all on probation, parole
or in recovery.
“It’s ju st w onderful to see
what education does, and the
positive change it can m ake,’’
said C arole Scholl, the pro
g ram m a n a g e r fo r L o n d e r
Learning Center. “ I hope our
com m unity continues to value
education.”
All of the graduates have over
come significant obstacles in
order to attain their GED, and as
a close to the ceremony, indi
viduals from across the com mu
nity shared their personal stories
and how they came to be where
they are today.
Although federal and state
funding supports correctional
education, many offenders re
enter the community without the
skills necessary to succeed in
the workforce.
O ver three quarters have a
■«rt»*.
I
Edward Whitman 28; Steven High, 23; and Donnie Yarn, 37, were among the 75 adult GED graduates celebrating the completion of
their high school education Thursday from the Multnomah County Londer Learning Center.
history of substance abuse, and
alm ost two thirds never re
ceived their high school diplo
mas. O ften, adults in re-entry
program s need program m ing
that doesn’t coincide with regu
lar college schedules, which is
why the Londer center focuses
solely on adults with crim inal
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histories as a way to better aid
the needs on a more intim ate
level.
Named after the late presid
ing Judge Donald H. Londer,
and co -fo u n d ed w ith John
Ryan, the center is a nationally
recognized adult center and one
of 12 model sites of com mu-
nity partnerships in adult learn
ing across the nation recog
nized by the U.S. Q ffice .of
V ocational and Adult E duca
tion (OVAE).
C o-founder John Ryan at
tended the ceremony, at which
he said he felt a sense of pride.
“It’s one of the most rewarding
things in my life,” he explained.
“To think that starting with just
an idea can do so much good.”
At the end of the ceremony,
attendees ate cake and admired
how far they have come. “I’m
really happy,” said 23-year-old
Steven High, a GED recipient
this year. “It’s a great feeling.”
This m onth’s grand opening
o f a new Army Strong C om
m u n ity
C e n te r on
th e
C lackam as C om m unity C ol
lege cam pus in O regon City is
the first such center west of
the M ississippi River, and the
first to be located at a com m u
nity college.
The center is designed to
provide continuity o f support
to Arm y Reserve soldiers and
fam ilies in the co m m u n ity
w here they litfe.
Service m em bers, retirees,
veterans and their fam ilies re
ceive responsive services at
the same level of access and
resources as they would ex
pect to find on a m ilitary instal
lation. This initiative assists in
m itigating the effects o f m obi
lization and deploym ent to in
clude the challenges of the mili
tary lifestyle.
Trained, qualified and skilled
staff are available on a 24/7
basis for services that include
m ilitary benefits, em ploym ent
assistance, child and youth ser
vices, education benefits and
fam ily deploym ent issues. The
center is open to all branches
o f the m ilitary.