MALTA (KC) -- Quick! What is the difference between a run-on sentence and a comma-splice?

The students in Lorri Thrower’s Kishwaukee College GED preparation class know the answer, because they have to in order to pass the GED or high school equivalency exam.

Thrower said, “About 41% of graduating high school seniors would fail the GED test if they had to take it. I wish more people realized that and give more respect to people who persevere and successfully earn their GED.”

The adult students in Lorri thrower’s class know that she respects them because she wants them to achieve their goal of a GED and a better life just as much as they do.

The group meets in a classroom in Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 N. Annie Glidden in DeKalb on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 – 3:40p.m. GED preparation classes are offered through the Adult Education and Transition Programs division at Kishwaukee College at class sites throughout the district. All GED preparation classes offered through Kishwaukee College are free to participants. Admission to the Lorri’s class is open, so new students can join the class at any time during the semester. Trent Leitsch, Kingston, joined the class in mid-February.

Like many GED students, the reality of what a lack of a high school diploma means in the long term hit home when Trent became a father. “I want to take care of my daughter,” he stated simply. “It’s rough to get a job without a GED.” Angel Grasty, DeKalb, is also motivated by parenthood. “I want to better myself for my kids. It’s hard to help them with their school work when I don’t know something,” she said. “I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for years, but now I am here and in the Bridge to Healthcare Careers class. I want to become an EMT.”

Lorri Thrower’s class is filled with stories like Trent’s and Angel’s. The students range in age from early 20s to 59-year-old Emma Davis. When most people are planning for retirement, why is Emma getting a GED? “I want to have a better quality of life,” she said. “I am motivated by hope and enlightenment to continue, to get an education.”

Lorri Thrower loves her role as GED instructor because of the students and their stories. “They are so inspirational to me! They each have a rich history as well as their own struggles but are dedicated to making their world better for themselves and their families by completing their GED,” she explained. “But that is not the end goal! Getting a GED is a stepping stone to continuing on in school.” Terry Jones, from DeKalb, for example, is following in his brother’s footsteps—his brother was also a student in Lorri’s class, earned his GED, and is now enrolled in the Automotive Technology program at Kishwaukee College. Terry plans to do the same and join his brother at the College.

Lorri Thrower is no stranger to the world of education. She spent ten years working in Sycamore and DeKalb with high students who were either identified as have a learning disability or who simply struggled in the traditional classroom setting. She left the local high school environment to work for a year at Waubonsee Community college as a Learning Specialist. After she had her own children, she left that position to home school her own children. “I LOVED being a Learning Specialist,” she recalled. “I knew if I was going to get back into the educational system, I wanted it to be with a college.” In March 2010, she began teaching GED preparation classes for Kishwaukee College and has never looked back.

As a GED instructor, Lorri gets to focus on the skills that form the basis for all future learning and employs some of the academic traditions based in the classical methods espoused by the ancient Greek scholars. “We start each day with ‘Today in History.’ It provides a platform for class discussion while giving me a chance to cover some information they may need to know for the social studies and science GED tests.” She hits math and writing the hardest. “We work on writing and math skills every day,” she said. “Regardless of what tests they still need to take, I find students can always improve their writing and math skills.”

Lorri wears many hats while being a GED instructor: teacher, facilitator, partner, and cheerleader. She said, “I let them know that we are partners in their learning process. I believe that God has created each and every person for a purpose and I am just happy to play a small part in helping people discover a bit of what their purpose could be. I feel blessed to be a part of their lives in this way.”

As the students in her class work on grammar, writing, math, history, and science, they have a teacher who sincerely wants them to succeed, no matter where their education may take them. “I am happy when students finish testing and do not come to class anymore, but I find I miss them dearly!” Lorri said. “A teacher can never teach you everything you need to know in life, but if you have learned how to learn, there is nothing you can’t do!”

For more information on the GED preparation classes offered by Kishwaukee College, contact the Adult Education and Transition Programs division at 815-825-2086, ext. 3180 or visit them on the web at www.kishwaukeecollege.edu.