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She Preps Kids To Graduate

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By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 30, 2008

PLANT CITY - Darla Maraman is still turning out high school grads at a fast-track program that gives dropouts and those at risk of dropping out a new lease on the future.

More than two dozen adults and students younger than 18 collected their diplomas June 4 after taking Maraman's General Educational Development prep course at the Plant City Learning Lab.

The daytime GED prep classes, located in Room 10 at Hope Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Park Road, will continue through the summer, and Maraman still has room for new students.

Class hours are from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Prospective students need to take a test to enroll. Maraman gives that test every two weeks.

The preliminary assessment test pinpoints areas students need to focus on to pass the GED, which covers math, science, social studies, reading and writing, which includes an essay. Most of the questions are multiple choice, but the questions are presented as word problems, requiring background knowledge to solve them, Maraman said.

Maraman's program is one of 100 satellite sites in the Hillsborough County school system offering enrichment courses.

Many of her students are young dropouts or expelled students who, for whatever reason, didn't fit into a traditional classroom setting. Others are older adults who regret leaving school without earning that all-important sheepskin.

Of this year's grads, 10 are adults and 17 are younger than 18.

Most are pursuing their GED with an eye toward getting a better job. Others do it for the sense of accomplishment it brings, Maraman said.

GEDs are accepted for college enrollment and in all but two branches of the military for enlistment. The Navy and Air Force require additional course work.

For information on enrollment in Maraman's class, call (813) 707-7347.

PLANT CITY LEARNING LAB

Here's a list of the 2007-08 graduates of the lab, based at Hope Lutheran Church:

Esmeralda Ruiz, Krista Salinas, Kimberly Hall, Debra Laughter, Micah Bennett, Kayla York, Nadia Martinez, Brandi McCorkle, Kyle Desmeules, Terra Powell, Christopher Graham, Jason O'Neal, Ruben Rangel, Joseph Nellis, Tyler Cruickshank, Dwight Bibler, Jeremy Fullenkamp, Joshua Sprouse, Scott Pugh, Angelica Quijada, Mariana Leon, Estela Brito, Cynthia Esparza, Yvette Vidal, Domingo Rosales, Justin Dills and Christopher Cassagrande

Reporter Jan Hollingsworth can be reached at (813) 865-4436 or jhollingsworth@tampatrib.com.

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