Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 17, 1990 TAG: 9004140244
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Government and business officials say education has a number of values: It draws new industries to the area and it allows people to get higher paying jobs. And a few organizations have started paying their workers $100 to learn more, to get that important piece of paper - a high school diploma or its equivalent.
The Pulaski County School Board took the first step in November by offering the incentive to each employee to study for a General Equivalency Diploma, the equivalent of a high school diploma.
"The $100 - that's symbolic," said James Burns, superintendent of schools. "It's obviously not important compared to what they can do with wage earnings and other benefits they can get with a diploma."
Burns said people can earn $200,000 more over a lifetime with a high school diploma than they can without one.
"The School Board needed to start this," Burns said. "We needed to start at home."
Officials at New River Community College and the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors also thought they should set an example for the community. So they also have promised $100 to employees who earn their diplomas or GEDs.
"I was alarmed when I first saw the figures on the number of people over 25 without a diploma," said Pulaski County Supervisor Joseph Scheffey.
According to the 1980 census, 53 percent of people over 25 in the county had not finished high school.
"When I read the School Board had the policy to promote education for employees to return to school, I thought the county should catch on with the same idea," Scheffey said. "With the school system and the county and industry working together to promote education - I think it's something we can't lose on."
Scheffey said he also hopes that young students will realize the importance of an education as they watch their parents trying to learn more.
"I look at it as an involving circle," Scheffey said.
The county chamber of commerce is trying to involve more industries and businesses in an incentive program, said Ron Underwood, chairman of the chamber's education committee.
"We have a slogan: `School Pays,' " Underwood said. "We're trying to get adults involved in education."
Over the next few weeks, committee members and community college officials will approach area businesses asking them to use incentives for employees to upgrade their education.
"We're trying to get everyone to see that education is important," Underwood said. "So far, we're getting a good response. Before we're even approaching them [local businesses], they're approaching us."
If Pulaski County as a whole increases its level of education, Underwood said, "the area will feel better about itself. This is what the whole community needs. We're hoping this is the beginning of a fire. We want to start something going.
"We're getting the total community - business, industries and schools - to push together for education," Underwood said.
And when the community pushes for something, Burns said, "it'll work."
by CNB