Education

                         

 

 

 

 

 

Education

Choose a Topic Alternative Education Education for Teen Parents The GED College

Alternative Education

It is very hard for some teens to stay in school. Family and personal problems get in the way or teens just don't find school to be a good or a needed experience. But it's very difficult to get by on your own without at least a high school diploma. If you're in school, that's great! Stay where you are! If you have dropped out of school, get involved with an alternative education program. Some great ones are listed here. Although you are only required to go to school until you are 16, you have a right to stay in school until you are 21 or you graduate. People, right or wrong, form opinions about what we can and can't do based on how much education we have, but there is no such thing as too much education. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the farther you can go.

Calling these numbers can help you get back in school, find a trade or technical work, or find a tutor to help with whatever it is about school you are having a hard time with.

For More Info on Alternatives to Education

The following programs are for young people with disadvantages. If you do not have much money, or if you have a hard time reading and writing, have dropped out of school or are homeless, a runaway, a foster child, are pregnant or have a police record, these programs can help you.

• Family Service Center – Midlands Workforce Development Board
  Call 733-5450 (extension 3158) and ask for the Success for Life Program.
  For young people ages 14 through 21. Helps you pay for tuition, books and fees if you want to go to college. They can offer you tutoring, study skills training, paid and unpaid work experience, on-the-job training, mentoring, support services, leadership development and guidance and counseling.
• Center for Adult Learners – WIA Youth Program
  Call 738-7630 and ask for Midlands Technical Training
  This program is for out-of-school young people ages 19 to 21. This program offers tutoring, study skills training, work training, on-the-job training, mentoring, support services, leadership development and guidance and counseling. They may even pay for technical training.
  
• Midlands Workforce Development Board, Midlands Marine Institute
  Call 772-8198
  This is a program for young people ages 16 through 21. Can provide you with study skills training, tutoring, paid and unpaid work experiences, mentoring, support services, General Equivalency Diploma (GED) training, leadership development and guidance and counseling.

Other Alternative Educational Programs

Beauty Schools
Cosmetology Information Line	896-4588
Esthetics International	798-8611
Shuler's Kenneth Schools of Hair Styling	772-6098

Business, Trade, Technical
South University	799-9082
Midlands Technical College	738-1400

Truck Driver (must be 21)
Alpha Driver Training	788-7930

Real Estate (must be 18)
Real Estate School	731-0654

More Phone Numbers
Communities in Schools	254-9727
Continuing Education at USC	777-8155
Glenforest School	796-7622
Richland I Adult & Community Education (17 and older)	343-2935
Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School	896-6480

Continuing Education for Pregnant Teens or Teens who are Parents

• Pregnancy and/or being a parent should not keep you from going to school or completing high school.
• If you are pregnant, you have the right to stay in your regular school program as long as you are physically able.
• You can not be told you can't take part in any school activity because of marriage, pregnancy, or because you are a parent.
• If you are pregnant and about to deliver the baby, you can ask for school lessons to be taught to you at home while you are recovering from giving birth.
• After your child is born, you have the right to return to classes as soon as you are able. School officials should not try to embarrass you or pressure you into leaving.
• While you are pregnant, you should try to plan carefully so that you can keep up with your schoolwork. This will mean thinking about things before your child is born, like who will take care of your child when you go back to school and how that care will be paid for.
• A teen parent between the ages of 16 and 21 can ask for support from the Department of Social Services (DSS). In many cases, DSS has money to help with childcare for minors with children.
• Alternative school programs that have child care services are:

  Richland I Adult & Community Education (17 and older)	343-2935
  Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School	896-6480

The GED (General Educational Development test)

If you've left school without graduating and you want to get your GED, here's what you need to know: The State Department of Education gives the GED test. The test was made for people over 17 years old who have not finished high school and have not received a high school diploma. Taking and passing this test will give you the equivalent (equal to) a high school diploma.

For More Info on the GED

To find out more, you can call some of the numbers listed above, like the Midlands Workforce Development Board – Midlands Marine Institute – at 772-8198.

You can also call for an application at
GED Testing Services Unit (SC Dept of Education) 734-8347

For classes that will help you get ready for the GED, call
Communities in Schools	254-9727
Midlands One-Stop Centers:
Columbia 700 Taylor St.; Mon.–Tue., 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.	737-5627
Lexington	359-6131
Winnsboro	635-2292

After School Programs

If you're in school and you are interested in an after school program, here are some great ones! If you live in Lexington County, just call these numbers and ask them for Lexington County info and they'll give you the name and number of who you can call.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 691-5700

Boys and Girls Club, 551-5487
Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands: Programs that work with club members in five different areas: 1) Education and Career Life Development, 2) Sports, Fitness, and Recreation, 3) The Arts, 4) Health and Life Skills and 5) Character and Leadership Development.
Hours: School Year; Monday to Friday 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Summer: Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Communities in Schools of the Midlands, 254-9727
In partnership with local schools, provides after-school programming. Each school site has a different program based on your needs as a student, and they all offer:
– A safe place to learn and grow
– A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
– A healthy start and a healthy future
– A marketable skill to use when you graduate
– A chance to give back to peers and communities

After School Sites are found at
Busbee Middle, Crayton Middle, Dent Middle, E.L.Wright Middle, Gilbert Middle, Pelion Middle, Pine Ridge Middle, Sandhills Middle, and W.G. Sanders Middle
(note: you must go to one of the above schools in order to take part in their after school programs). City of Columbia Parks and Recreation After-School Programs
For more information call 733-8331 or call one of these parks: Earlewood Park, 733-8444; Emily Douglas Park, 733-8531; Greenview Park/Pool, 754-5223; Heathwood Park, 733-8446; Hyatt Park, 733-8445; Pinehurst Park offers an after-school tutoring program for help with any subject, 733-8449; Sims Park, 733-8451; St. Anna's Park, 733-8450; Woodland Park, 776-1096.

Columbia Urban League, 799-8150

City Year Alternative Club, 254-3349
Every Wednesday at Hammond Village, the DECYDE City Year team offers the Alternative Club that focuses on arts and crafts, music education and field trips. Call for more info.

Girls Grapevine After-School Program Call LRADAC, 733-1390

Richland County Recreation Commission After-School Programs
For information, call 754-7275 extension 205. After school camps are offered at several places for children 5 to 12 years old. Sports and games, arts and crafts, field trips and special guests are all part of the fun! Here is a list of the parks that offer after-school programs — Blythewood Park, Forest Lake Park, Friars Gate Park, Horrell Hill Elementary School Park, North Springs Park, Polo Road Park.

YWCA After-School Programs, 252-2151
For example, the Y offers a self-esteem program for young girls called EUREKA. Call for more info.

YMCA After School Child Care, 799-9187

   

Tutoring & Help with Homework

Tutoring
If you are having problems with your schoolwork or if you are having a hard time understanding what teacher is doing or saying, a tutor might be able to help you. You can ask your teacher for extra help, or you can ask your guidance counselor at your school or the librarian at the local library. Don't wait until after the first test to ask for help. Some of the places listed below can also help you find a tutor.

For More Info on Tutoring
These places are great places to call if you need help with your schoolwork or any subject in school.

Communities in Schools	254-9727
Greater Columbia Literacy Council	765-2555
United Way 211 (info & referrals)	790-4357 or dial 211
Columbia Urban League, Inc.	799-8150
Pindhurst Park After-School Tutoring	733-8449

Help With Homework
If you are at home and doing your homework and you are stuck on a problem or question, there are tons of places that can help you. You can call your local library for more information, go online, or call a homework help hotline.

For More Info on Help with Homework

Phone Numbers
Richland County Public Library 799-9084
(ask for the general reference section)

Websites
http://www.homeworkhelp.com/
http://www.proquestk12.com/(click on "homework help ")
http://www.doctorhomework.com/
http://www.homeworkspot.com/
http://www.kidsclick.org/

Homework Programs
City Year Tutoring at Dent Middle School: The City Year DECYDE team offers an after-school program where they tutor and offer homework assistance. Call for more info at 254-3349.

College

Many high school graduates go on to college. But the decision to go on to college is not an easy one. It's not easy picking a college what to major in once you get there. And sometimes the cost of college makes a student feel overwhelmed. But just because you or your family don't have the money for college doesn't mean you can't go. If you have questions or concerns, the guidance counselor at your school should be able to answer them or get you in touch with a college recruiter. You can also ask people you know who are already in college for advice. If you can't get the help or information you need, don't give up. The library is a great place to do research on colleges. The librarian will be able to help you find a place to start. Also, Barron's Guide to Colleges is a catalogue that offers a list of colleges; what they cost, and what's good and not so good about the school. There are other catalogues like Barron's that you can buy in bookstores or take out of the library.

For More Info on College
Some local colleges and universities include:

University of South Carolina	777-7700
Allen University	254-4165
Benedict College	253-5000
Columbia College	786-3871
Midlands Technical College	736-1400

 

 

 

 

Financial Aid for College
A college education can be very expensive. Most colleges have financial aid programs that offer grants, scholarships and low-interest student loans. Contact the financial aid office at the schools you want to apply to and get more information.

Here are the three basic kinds of financial aid:

1. Grants and Scholarships - these you don't have to pay back.

2. Student Loans - low interest loans you pay back over a long period of time after you have graduated.

3. Work Study - an on campus job with flexible hours. Usually you can only make a set amount of money, determined by the government based on your need. The money is given to you to use however you choose. Once the amount of money is used up you have to apply for more work study money or find another job to get more. Ask your school's financial aid office for more information.

If you are planning on going to college, it's very important that you start looking early, especially if you need financial aid. You have to fill out detailed applications several months ahead of time in order to receive financial aid. It's a good idea to start the application process the semester before you plan to start college.

For More Info on Financial Aid, contact your high school guidance counselor or the financial aid office at the colleges you are applying to.

Tuition Prepayment Program

The South Carolina Tuition Prepayment Program is designed to assist families with the rising costs of attending college. It provides full payment of in-state tuition and required fees to any public college or university in South Carolina on behalf of the student named in a Tuition Prepayment Contract. For more information, call 1-888-772-4723.