The GED Academy is part of a new breed of educational software. Through their innovative passGED study program, The GED Academy brings a virtual classroom to life on students’ computer screens–a classroom peopled with fellow students who struggle with real-life problems. “One of our most interesting virtual students is Curtis Jackson,” says Michael Ormsby, the Academy’s president. “Curtis is extremely bright. He has street smarts and thinking skills. But his formal education hasn’t given him much, so he struggles with standard English and with the restrictions of a traditional classroom.”
Curtis is in his twenties, and he thinks big in terms of the future. “I want to do something really worthwhile, you know. I did things the wrong way round, I see that now. But if I can get ahead on the streets, don’t see why I can’t get ahead on the straight and narrow.” Curtis spent some time in prison for gang-related activities, and he’s turning over a new leaf. “Prison was the best thing could’ve happened to me, believe it or not. I got some training, got some good advice. Now I just got to keep focused on getting an education.”
The GED Academy believes that human interest and entertainment are essential to education. “Learning is a process that takes place inside the student’s mind. Engaging students–involving them in the lives and stories of others–creates learning.” Curtis brings his quick mind to the passGED virtual classroom, helping explain concepts that he’s grasped and showing off his mental math skills. “You learn quick to figure out how much money there is in a transaction on the street,” he says.
Curtis brings strong opinions and curiosity to the classroom. “Who I am, that’s important. Lots of black Americans like me end up in gangs and involved in drugs. Now, why’s that? You gotta wonder. So, I figure I’ll try to learn about why things are the way they are. Why didn’t I know when I was twelve that I wanted an education? That’s something I want to know. Man, when I was twelve all I wanted was to make a big splash on the street. Now I know that’s a small, little world.”
Curtis makes connections with many inner-city young adults who come from struggling, and often failing, educational systems. “Curtis shows that high-school drop-outs aren’t stupid people. The truth is, sometimes it’s the smartest people who are left behind by school systems,” Ormsby comments. “I expect Curtis to be very successful.” For more information about Curtis and the passGED study program, visit: www.passged.com
