Grant Regional Adult Education Orientation Coming Soon

Grant Regional Adult Education’s (GRAE) next orientation is happening February 4 through 6.

New students are introduced to the program each month.

GRAE aims to help 16-17-year-olds who have been released from the school system, and anyone seeking their GED.

“What helps is we have two different areas.  We have a classroom and then an office classroom,” said Donna McNeely, a teacher in the adult education program. “So the weeks we have orientation, our regular students go to the other office area because there’s computers set up that where they can study, and then teachers over there that can help them as well.”

Part of orientation is the partnership GRAE has with businesses in Marion. Workone, Ivy Tech and Afena all participate in teaching different skills that range from resume building to financial literacy. 

“Our program is a part of Marion community schools, and we’re funded through the state of Indiana through the Department of Workforce Development,” said Jenalee Veenkant, the program coordinator for the adult education program. “Because the ultimate goal of our program is to increase the job opportunities for people who come to us.

GRAE has been in Marion for decades. It falls under the Marion Community Schools umbrella. 

“We were Marion Regional Career Center. A couple of years ago, I changed it to Grant Regional Career Center,” said Nate McNeely, GRCC director. “We pulled the adult program under that because it connected more with the group that we serve.”

The program itself lasts however long the person in it needs. This can range from five weeks to two years. 

“[In] high school, a lot of things can happen in life that change the trajectory of somebody’s educational path,” said McNeely “In Grant County, there’s a lot of individuals that do not finish high school in the time that they would typically a traditional student would finish high school.”

Veenkant said that everybody deserves a chance to get their equivalency diploma. 

“The big thing I want them to know is it’s not going to look anything like school looked like for you before,” said Veenkant. “It’s very different as far as it’s just kind of between you and your teacher, as far as how you did on the test and what you’re working on next.”