For Immediate Release
November 20, 2001
Contact: John Hammond, Director of Public Relations, 210/733-2147, jhammond@accd.edu
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“Saving Lives Through Education”
San Antonio College and Bexar County Launch New Program |
| The San Antonio College Graduate Equivalency Exam (GED) Preparation Program
is now a classroom option available to qualified probationers who appear
before Judge Al E. Alonso Jr. in the Bexar County Court at Law No. 1, in
lieu being sentenced to jail or hours of community service. At a press conference today, San Antonio College President Vern Loland and Judge Alonso jointly announced this new program, titled “Saving Lives Through Education,” which stresses education as a proactive form of rehabilitation for probationers. “Most of our prison and jail population are high school drop-outs,” said Judge Alonso, who added, “The more education a person has the less likelihood that he will become an offender.” Alonso noted that it is his duty to administer justice and, “at the same time, I feel it is important to protect society by rehabilitating offenders and make them responsible members of our community.” Probationers who have not earned a high school diploma or GED degree may qualify to take this Classroom Option. Coordinated with probation officers and college staff, students will receive an orientation, assessment of skills, counseling, and other help as needed. Depending on their skills assessment, students will take classes in some or all of the following subjects: writing skills, social studies, science, mathematics, and interpreting literature and the arts. Students are required to keep up with the program and report progress to their probation officers. Each class meets for four hours a day or evening for four weeks; weekend classes meet for eight hours on Saturdays and seven hours on Sundays for four weekends. The Continuing Education & Workforce Development Division has developed a “fast-track” GED Prep course in both English and Spanish for students who wish to take the Texas Education Agency’s current GED Exam before it changes on January 1 to reflect new skills now expected of high school students. For more information about the “Saving Lives Through Education” program, call CE Specialist Anelia Luna at 733-2666. |
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1300 San Pedro Ave. • San Antonio, Texas • 78212-4299 • (210) 733-2147 |