Marcus left high school more than 20 years ago without a diploma. Now, with the help of Easterseals Northeast Indiana, he’s pursuing a GED. That GED might help him find work. A GED also would put him much closer to achieving a bigger dream: going to college.
He lives with roommates, but has the independence he needs to get around town by bus or on foot and pursue his own interests. Working on those challenging studies for the equivalent of a high-school diploma ranks high among those interests.
Easterseals Northeast Indiana DSP Patrick Hessey works with Marcus, helping him find materials – especially online materials – to help him pursue his studies.
Here’s something that makes his pursuit of the GED easier: It’s fun.
“Yes, this is very fun, because I’ve been out of school since 2002. When I went back just to get a GED, it took me so much to learn math. And my worst subject is reading.”
Even though he said reading is his worst subject, he still enjoys “reading on the side,” as he puts it. His favorite stories are mysteries.
What to do if he makes it to college?
“I don’t really know now,” Marcus said. “I was going to do data entry, but I don’t know how to do computers that well.”
“I could do high school math,” he said. “I could do algebra … solving for the letters to see how many numbers it is.”
He has an older brother who he says is very supportive. His brother gives him books, including a well-loved (and worn) book of word searches that Marcus often carries with him.
“I have like 300 of them in this book,” he said. “I’m just trying to do all these slowly when I get a chance to.”
He’s had some jobs before, such as stocking shelves in a Scott’s supermarket when he was much younger, then working for a while in the Projects Drive Group at Easterseals in Fort Wayne.
Marcus is looking for a job again, with the help of Easterseals’ Employment Services. This year, he has volunteered at Community Harvest Food Bank, doing work something like his old job at Scott’s – loading boxes and stocking shelves.
Hessey also encourages Marcus to keep at that job hunt and to check in periodically with places where he’s applied. Marcus’ inclination is to wait on a call, but Hessey tells him that staying in touch reminds prospective employers that he’s still interested.
“I tell him, no matter how much you bug them, you can’t lose a job you don’t have,” Hessey said.
Hessey also helps Marcus find resources online to help him study for his GED.
The reward, if he succeeds in his dream of earning a GED and going to college, is more of what he’s enjoying right now: learning.
“When I want to go to college, I want to learn everything I can,” he said.