PRESS CHRISTMAS FOR ALL: Donations break down barriers for GED seekers
North Idaho College GED graduates wait to go on stage and receive their diplomas during the May graduation ceremony.
KAYE THORNBRUGH/Press
The Adult Education Center at North Idaho College is a place for fresh starts.
With three locations in North Idaho, the center is the primary provider of basic skills instructions to people age 16 and older who have withdrawn from school. Tuition is free and learning materials are provided for all learners.
“It gives them a second chance at life,” said Kimberly Baugh, Adult Education Center director. “They know this is a launching pad. It’s such a huge accomplishment. They come to us from different backgrounds, but all of their lives are bettered.”
Many learners are Kootenai County residents, while others come from as far as Plummer and Osburn. Some are teens or young adults who were home-schooled or didn’t complete high school because of illness or due to problems at home. Others are working adults looking to earn a GED so they can improve their job prospects.
“My oldest was 79,” said test administrator Jenny St. Clair. “He came because he wanted his great grandchildren to know you could do anything at whatever age.”
The GED test consists of four content areas: language arts, math, science and social studies. Students must pass a test in all four areas. It costs $36 to take a test and most students need to retake at least one test, at a cost of $10.
That means the average GED seeker spends at least $154 on tests. For some, this cost is a barrier that forces them to delay testing.
“When the cost deters them, that’s heartbreaking to us,” Baugh said.
The center can’t spend grant funds on GED test vouchers and the state provides no assistance with test vouchers. When GED seekers who had studied hard found themselves unable to pay for the tests, the center had no help to offer them — until recently.
Through community donations, Press Christmas for All awarded $3,240 to the Adult Education Center, enough to cover 90 GED test vouchers in 2024. The results have been spectacular.
This year, a record-breaking 64 students earned their GEDs. On average, 48 individuals earn a GED annually.
The overall number of GED testers also increased. In October alone, 91 GED tests were administered, more than the previous two Octobers combined.
Center administrators said there’s a direct connection between Christmas for All’s gift and the number of students earning their GEDs.
“The grant clearly eliminated the economic barrier associated with the GED cost and opened the door for student success,” said Adult Education Center instructor Christine Everts.
Everts said she’s confident the successful relationship between the Adult Education Center and Christmas for All will continue paving the way for students to improve their lives.
None of it would be possible without the community’s generous donations.
“The help you have provided to our students this year alone is one for the record books,” she said. “Individuals have been blessed through your actions, as have we, by simply being a small part of the process.”
Each year, Press readers donate generously to Press Christmas for All. Every penny raised is distributed to Kootenai County residents. All overhead costs are covered by The Hagadone Corp.
The gift recipients are our neighbors who are struggling, including the elderly, people with disabilities, veterans, the homeless and those with mental illnesses. Many who seek assistance from Christmas for All are working, but living in poverty.
Beneficiaries of Press Christmas for All keep their dignity while the community provides a hand-up to help get them back on their feet.
Press Christmas for All is managed by The Hagadone Corp., with assistance from CharityReimagined.Org. It is a legally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, run entirely by volunteers.
Here are four ways to donate:
• Mail a check to Press Christmas for All, 215 N. Second St., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.
• Call The Press and make a secure credit card donation over the phone: 208-664-8176.
• Visit cdapress.com. Click on Christmas for All and make a secure online donation.
• Drop off your check at The Press weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 215 N. Second St. in downtown Coeur d'Alene.