Literacy & GED Prep

Literacy programs are offered through the Life Enrichment Center of Norfolk using Project Light computerized Bible-based software. Tutors work one-on-one with students helping them to improve their language and reading skills including phonics grammar, sentence structure, writing, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. The GED program offered through the Center incorporates the Basic Learning System to prepare students to take the equivalency exam.

Both programs were started over a year ago at the 230 West Bute Street LEC learning site. Three students accepted Jesus as their Savior within the initial three months of the program. The first student to enroll in the GED program at the Center received her GED on the first attempt in March, 2006. She will start her college career at Tidewater Community College in the fall.

Life Enrichment Center Literacy sites have been established in the following areas:

Madison Career Center

At the invitation of the Norfolk Public School system in May 2006, we established a literacy tutoring site at Madison Career Center, an alternative public school inNorfolk. The pilot program began with four students and four tutors meeting for two 70-minute sessions each week until the end of the school year. Plans are currently underway for the program to resume in the autumn with a larger enrollment.

Broad Creek Community Center

Beginnin in the Fall 2006, residents of hte Broad Creek Community who are age 18 and over can register for literacy/GED preparation at their community center.

Richard Bowling Elementary School

Students selected by the school administration work one-on-one with a tutor to improve their reading competencies.

The LEC literacy tutoring also played a major part in another pilot program in the Norfolk area - the Broad Creek Community Youth Connection Camp at Richard Bowling Elementary School.  During this four-week program in summer 2006, 20 students (4th & 5th grade) received one-on-one tutoring four days per week (one hour per day) to improve their skills in reading comprehension and fluency.  LEC personnel pre-assessed all 20 students for placement in Project Light tutoring, and trained 18 tutors in two separate sessions.

Beginning in autumn 2006, the LEC is also planning to partner with the Broad Creek Community Center to offer GED/literacy tutoring to residents at the Center in Broad Creek.