A four-week bootcamp helped accelerate the progress of eight Oakland Literacy Council’s GED candidates toward their high school equivalency degree.

All of the adult participants in the intensive bootcamp gained confidence while improving their math skills, with five of the eight earning passing scores on GED’s practice math subject test by the last day of the class.

The GED Math Bootcamp met two evenings a week for four weeks with instructor Laura Wicklund, a member of the math faculty at Oakland Community College who said she took the position as a way to give back to the community.

“I think we formed a support group in this class. I did see a lot of students who would work

together and help each other out. It was a really good environment, I thought that everybody was really polite and came in with great attitudes,” Laura said.

A grant from Kirk in the Hills Church enabled OLC to pilot the bootcamp focused on the math portion of the GED test, which is the most challenging subject area to pass.

“Nationally, and within our own program, adult learners consistently pass the three other GED subject areas: language arts, science and social studies, yet stall at the math test,” said Laurie Weeks, OLC’s Executive Director. “Typically, GED candidates enter our program with major gaps in foundational math skills such as fractions and multiplication. As the path toward GED completion lengthens, adult learners often become discouraged.”

The learners gave positive feedback.

Demari Mosley, 22, said he didn’t finish 10^th, 11^th or 12^th grade, and he wanted to catch up on algebra.

“There are good people here at OLC who care. They actually check on you, make sure you’re doing the work, and if you’re messing up, they let you know. That’s what made it so good, because it gave the effect that I was still

in school,” Demari said.

Torrance Ringgold, 23, came to the bootcamp after working a full day, like most of the others, said, “The bootcamp was a great refresher for me. It brought back little things that I didn’t really remember from being out of school for a couple of years. It brought a classroom setting that helped me lock in on my work. It was definitely worth it.”

Torrance has since passed the official math subject test. “I wish there was more programs like this for science and social studies to touch up on those as well, I would definitely attend another one,” he said.

Sebastian Chernov has also since passed his math subject test. He credits his success in the bootcamp to the instructor. “Laura had the ability to refine specific concepts to a point of confidence. It’s easy to forget the nuances because related concepts, and she made it easier to relearn them,” Sebastian said. “Laura made the whole thing a positive and enriching experience.”

Since the bootcamp ended, Laura has volunteered her time to tutor one of the learners who needed extra support. “It was a good refresher for some of the students and for other students it was all new material so I think that if nothing else, the class probably has them motivated to take the GED test or to jumpstart the study process,” she said.

Because of the positive feedback from both the students and instructor, Oakland Literacy Council is hoping to propose a GED Bootcamp for other subject areas, such as reading and science. Students who complete the GED Test will have the opportunity to walk across the stage in mid-July at OLC’s graduation event.

A partnership between Oakland Literacy Council and Oakland80 is putting Eleonore Bell and adults like her on the path toward economic prosperity by lifting their foundational literacy skills and helping them earn credentials sought by employers.

Pauline Schultz, Eleonore’s ESL tutor, says Eleonore is a perfect example of OLC’s mission of preparing learners for a successful and productive life in America. “Eleonore studied 12 hours a week to prepare for her nursing school entrance exam, including in-person English tutoring at OLC and online ESL courses,” Pauline said. “Her tutoring was individualized to focus on reading, vocabulary and grammar to prepare for her college entrance exam.  Healthcare topics were integrated into her English lessons to match her professional goals.”

When Vasyl Fedorovych immigrated to America in April 2023 from his war-torn country of Ukraine, he couldn’t speak or read English. Leaving behind his wife and three young children, like generations of immigrants before him, Vasyl came to southeast Michigan in search of peace and a new beginning.  

A master carpenter and artist in Ukraine, Vasyl lost his construction business in the war. Now living in America, he is determined to learn English in order to start a new life and eventually be reunited with his family here. To assist him in his journey, the Oakland Literacy Council partnered Vasyl with adult ESL volunteer tutor Brenda Gaunt, a retired teacher.   

“Vasyl is a natural learner, diligently attending all his classes, practicing every day and becoming more and more confident in conversational English,” Gaunt observes. “He was inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society last summer for his work ethic and positive attitude.” 

Vasyl currently puts his skills to work as a freelance handyman, with plans to earn a contractor license to support himself and his family. Impressed with his abilities, the Carpenters Union of Detroit has offered to help him secure a job and eventual membership. Vasyl credits the Oakland Literacy Council for motivating and inspiring him toward his goals.

“The classes make learning interesting and lively and English becomes a part of everyday life,” he says. “I am grateful to OLC for its support, opportunities and friendly atmosphere.  My dream is to learn English, get my contractor license, and to have my family join me here in America.” 

Oakland Literacy Council is excited to offer an intensive bootcamp to help GED candidates pass the math subject test–often the hardest part of completing their high-school equivalency. Candidates can enroll by clicking here.

GED Math Bootcamp (3)