In Woodbury, the Basics of Adult Education

Woodbury Sen. Susan Kent last week visited with recent immigrants looking to become citizens and others working to get a better handle on the English language.

Kent, a first-term DFLer, visited two South Washington County Adult Basic Education classes on Friday, April 5.

Adult Basic Education (ABE), part of District 833 Community Education, works to help people with job searches and retraining, along with courses on English and computer skills, said Susie Evans, ABE coordinator.

About 300 people took classes in 2012, she said.

The ABE program partners with the Washington County Workforce Center and South Washington County Schools.

Whether it’s getting a GED or helping people gain citizenship, the classes in general are meant to advance participants’ careers or help them find a job, Evans said. Many are recent immigrants, some with advanced degrees from their home country that don’t transfer to the U.S. job market.

“It’s very frustrating,” Evans said.

Getting the new Senator to come to classrooms at the Central Park facility Friday was part of an effort to raise awareness of ABE programs.

“We need the community coming to our classes,” Evans said.

Kent on Friday spoke with a few of the participants hailing from France, Mexico, Iran and Ethiopia. There are 43 different languages represented among the participants in this year’s ABE programs.

A member of a Senate education committee, Kent talked about the importance of continuing education and a bill that would allow people to continue in high school past the age of 21.

Kent also discussed her role as a senator and the openness of the American governing system, and encouraged those whom she represents to contact her with issues or concerns.

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