Forest 
City, NC – “Amazing and a great help to me, my family, and a better future,” are the words Jacob Jolly used to describe his experience with ParentLearn, a program offered through Family Resources of Rutherford County.
In collaboration with Isothermal Community College (ICC) and Partnership for Children of the Foothills,
ParentLearn assists mothers and fathers who have a child under the age of five and have been unable to finish their high school education the traditional way. Through this free program, attendees can complete their diploma and fine tune parenting skills, while their children attend on-site childcare. High school education courses provided through Isothermal Community College are combined with the Nurturing Parenting curriculum, which emphasizes positive interactions between parent and child.
Jolly, of Ellenboro, along with his one-year old son, attended ParentLearn three days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. While Jolly completed the requirements to receive his high school diploma, his son participated in enriching age appropriate activities with early childhood education teachers and ate a nutritious lunch. The two then enjoyed parent-child time before the end of the day and Jolly went to work. Jolly’s wife also is a graduate of the program.
If they have a child in the age range of six weeks to five years, mothers and fathers who are sixteen or older and working on their high school diploma are eligible to enroll in ParentLearn. In addition to childcare, ParentLearn also provides free transportation for students with no or unreliable transportation.
With his high school diploma now in hand, Jolly plans to attend Isothermal Community College in the fall and study computer engineering.
“It is so rewarding to see our students finish their high school education and strengthen their connection with their child,” said Janice Summers, ParentLearn coordinator. “Jacob and his family are on the path to a bright future.”
Learn more about ParentLearn online at PFCFoothills.org or Familyresourcesrc.org today.
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