Vermont Adult Learning helps adult learners, ages 16 and older, acquire reading, writing, math, and computer skills to earn high school diplomas/GEDs. We teach English Language Learners skills to advance educationally and at work. We engage in workforce development. Our services are offered at no cost and are available in person and online. Text VAL to 833-900-0907 or contact a Learning Center nearest to you to learn more!
Interested in remote learning? Check out VAL’s Online Learning Center (OLC) course catalog.
Ryley: I’m determined to get ahead (6/23/2022) - “It’s easy to get by,” Ryley said. "Anybody can get by, but it’s hard to get ahead. I’m determined to get ahead.” Ryley, age 28, is a recent graduate of VAL’s Energy Works Weatherization Training. She and her partner live with their children near Rutland, Vermont. Adopted as a child, Ryley experienced some rough patches along the way. She is committed to living her life and doing right by those she loves and who love her. “I graduated high school early and enrolled in the automotive program at Vermont Technical College (VTC). I really enjoy cars,” Ryley said. “We learned… 
Nicole: Living her values as a Weatherization Crew Member (6/16/2022) - Nicole, age 37, spent several years working in human services before deciding she wanted to build a career in weatherization. She had managed farmers’ markets and advocated for EBT options so Vermonters experiencing low incomes could purchase fresh, local foods. She organized a program that sent 120 volunteers into K-3 public school classrooms to help students develop literacy skills. She also worked for mental health agencies. “I was working and looking for a career change,” Nicole said. “I’d been toggling between environmental sustainability and human services in my search for purpose-driven work.” Weatherization was a long-simmering interest for… 
Adji: My goal is to be a nurse in the United States (6/8/2022) - Adji, aged 40, is a VAL English Language Learning (ELL) student who arrived in Vermont from Dakar, Senegal, on December 16, 2019. She spoke three languages when she landed in the United States: French, Wolof and Pulaar; she did not speak a word of English. Today, she speaks and understands English amazingly well for such a short period of time, particularly as an adult learner. Adji and her husband, also Senegalse, are proud parents of four children. The couple live in Vermont with their oldest son who will be a freshman at the University of Vermont School of Engineering in… 
Chris: If you haven’t completed your diploma, just do it! (6/2/2022) - Chris is an aspiring entrepreneur who wants to bring a quality product to the Vermont community: Cannabis! His encyclopedic knowledge of seed germination, growing, and harvesting best practices are complemented by a connoisseur's sense of the leafy green plant. Chris also earned his high school diploma at VAL at age thirty-two. “For me, quality matters. Some medical grade cannabis smells like barn hay,” Chris said. “The quality available to Vermonters right now isn’t what it should be. People work hard for their money and I want to give them a quality product.” Chris describes himself as a “run of the… 
Volunteer Profile: Marion Cushner (5/26/2022) - VAL volunteer Marion Cushner lives in Williston. She moved to Vermont from San Diego to be closer to her grandchildren. Marion serves on her local Restorative Justice Board, swims, walks and enjoys playing mahjong. VAL is fortunate that Marion has made time to volunteer as a beloved tutor for nearly a decade. “I grew up in Brooklyn and my family moved to California after I graduated,” Marion said. “At the time, the two primary careers open to women were teaching and nursing. San Diego State had a very strong education program so I chose to study Elementary Education. I enjoyed… © Vermont Adult Learning