Alaska Literacy Program opens Palmer office

The Alaska Literacy Program (ALP) recently opened a new office location in Palmer to better serve the needs of the Valley. With the ability to help adult learners with GED preparation and completion, workplace skills and learning English as a second language, ALP is ready to help members to learn and grow within the community. With a widespread population in the Mat-Su, the program is excited to host volunteer-led courses in various locations such as Sutton, Talkeetna and Willow.

“In order to serve the Mat-Su Valley,” Executive Co-Director Amy Facklam said, “We actually want to go into the communities themselves.”

ALP was established in 1974 and started as a one-on-one tutoring program. It has since evolved to offer upwards of 50 different classes in a seven classroom space in Anchorage and online. Class sizes range from six to ten students and provided courses include GED preparation, digital literacy skills, workplace skills and improving English as a second language.

After a series of studies last year, ALP and its partners in the Mat-Su determined there was a need for this type of assistance within the community. The new office space, located at 918 South Colony Way in Palmer, was acquired through the Bright Light Books Project, a partner with whom they hope to host classes.

The program is currently accepting intakes and providing one-on-one tutoring sessions from 2-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at their Palmer location. Rebekah Potter, the Test Prep Services Manager, said their main focus now is GED preparation classes for math and language arts.

Courses operate on a quarter basis and ALP is currently in their first quarter of the year. Classes meet for an hour and a half, twice per week for eight week, for a total of 24 hours of instruction. Each class is $25 and an income based sliding fee scale is available.

Depending on the courses they take, students can prepare for and test to receive their GED, study for and receive certifications for digital literacy subjects like Excel and Word, and be better prepared for entering a specialized field of work. But what the student really walks away with is the ability to be successful in their jobs, their families and in their communities.

“Being part of the community is very important for our students,” Facklam said.

Students can sign up for classes at www.alaskaliteracyprogram.org and clicking on the “request a class” button. They can also visit the Palmer office during open tutoring hours or by calling (907) 743-0203.

“I would encourage any adults who are looking to go back to school and further their education, to encourage them that that takes a lot of bravery and that that is a really commendable thing,” Potter said. “I think that’s an awesome thing for an adult learner, especially for them to realize that they want more opportunities, that they want more freedom in their life to grow and learn and to seek that out.”