Racine Insider News

Area residents use the King Center Computer Lab  to help them obtain their GED, and also in seek employment
King Center's GED program recieves refunding

Mattie Booker has been on the frontline for over 45 years teaching children and now she shares her message with adults about the importance of education.

Booker is an instructor at the GED Program at The Martin Luther King, Jr., Center, 1134 Dr. M. L. King Jr. Drive; “We give people wings and hope. We want them to know that they can reach their potential,” explains Booker, who is a retired teacher from Unified.

The inner-city program that helps 30 to 35 drop-out students to obtain their GED,  annually was in jeopardy of not being funded by the city  until Alderman Q.A. Shakoor II,  made a motion to restore funding of this program. He noted in the daily paper Wednesday that the GED program provides a vital service by helping to ensure that adults are in a better position to lead their community and guide their children.

The City of Racine Community Development Committee had recommended that the annual allocations for the city’s 2012 Community Development Block Grant funds be cut this year. Last year the program received $13,000 in CDBG funding in 2011.The program was saved when City Council voted 8-6 to award the program $12,000.

The King Center’s  Director James Wilson said Wednesday that if the council had not voted to restore dollars to the GED program the center would have been forced to close it door since CDBG dollars are its only funding source.

“They feel comfortable coming here,” explained Booker. She says the center is different from some of the other GED programs.  She added that the King Center is centrally located on a convenient bus route and within walking distance, which makes it easy for many students to attend classes.   These students typically go on to college, technical school, or end up advancing in various careers.  She also states that the program has many success stories that can be shared,  but preferred to allow the performance of the students to be the program best spokespersons.