Mississippi Delta Community College

Adult Education Student Spotlight - Madison Blaylock

Contributed by Adult Education College and Career Navigator Allison Brady

MOORHEAD, Miss. (Mar. 9, 2023) – Madison Blaylock enrolled in Mississippi Delta Community College’s Adult Education (AE) program at the Greenville Higher Education Center (GHEC) in January 2021. Madison had left high school due to academic and behavioral struggles, and she began to attend school at the Mississippi Youth Challenge Academy instead.

While at MS Youth Challenge, Madison passed her Science and Math General Educational Development (GED) tests but did not complete Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) or Social Studies. Therefore, Madison enrolled at MDCC AE in hopes of completing the final two parts of her GED.

Madison entered MDCC Adult Education reading at approximately a third-grade level, according to her Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) scores. Madison worked with her instructor Missy Millwood in order to steadily raise her reading level so that she would be prepared to pass the RLA and Social Studies GED tests. In August of 2022, Madison enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at MDCC’s Moorhead campus through the Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MIBEST) program with the help of College & Career Navigator Allison Brady, who manages the MIBEST program.

The program is funded through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The MIBEST program allows adult education students to enroll in college-level courses in a Career/Technical education field while working towards their High School Equivalency (HSE). Madison attended adult education classes with Millwood at GHEC during the mornings and then went to her CNA classes at Moorhead in the evenings.

While this was a challenging schedule for Madison, she received support from MIBEST in the form of gas cards to help her with transportation and food gift cards to purchase meals before or after class. Madison also received GED test vouchers purchased by MIBEST to take her RLA and Social Studies GED tests for free.

Madison passed her RLA and Social Studies GED tests and graduated with her HSE in December 2022. Madison also successfully graduated from the CNA program in December of 2022 and will take the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam later this spring in order to become nationally certified. Madison gave birth to her first child in January of 2023, shortly after completing her HSE and graduating from the CNA program.

Because of Madison’s hard work and dedication and the continued support of MDCC AE and the MIBEST program, Madison is now in a much better position to secure a job with a living wage to support her son.

If you or someone you know is looking to complete their high school diploma, MDCC’s next Adult Education registration will be held March 20-23, 2023, from 8:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m. daily. Prospective students can register at MDCC’s Moorhead campus, the Greenville Higher Education Center (GHEC), the Greenville WIN Center, or the Greenwood Center. Students must be at least 16 years old and have a valid state-issued photo ID.

For additional information on Adult Education registration, please contact MDCC’s Director of Adult Education Christopher Lee at (662) 246-6572. For additional information on the MIBEST program, please contact College & Career Navigator Allison Brady at (662) 374-0529.