Church Empowerment Is the Key to Greater Community Success

An assistant to Bronx borough President Carrion in New York City recently told me that many years ago he started a GED program in his church and that in five years 240 people obtained that important diploma and many went on to earn Bachelor of Arts degrees in colleges. I was shocked to find out that he had not shared this success with the other communities in New York City.

We can organize each church for success. Find the members of your community who have not graduated from high school and empower them with the right combination of actions. Remember that "actions speak louder than words." Instead of saying, Go to the local community college GED class, identify those people who do not need to study for the GED and help them with the plan they will need to study at home. Support the "Million Hispanic March to the GED."

1. By giving the extremely important official practice test, you can predict which people will pass the GED. Put close to one million more diplomas in the hands of people just by this alone and help EIGHTH GRADERS by identifying their weaknesses and helping them correct those weaknesses and permitting them to be promoted.
   
2. You will be armed with my plan for your community. You can administer the practice tests, mark the papers, and give out the marks. You can tell people how to study at home and/or start your own GED class in the church by using my methods.
   
3. You can show people from Latin America that they can lead their loved ones and family members to higher levels of education not only by their remissions to their home country, but also by their own educational achievements here. Being a role model will empower others. The GED is one of the major steps in that direction.
   
4. Churches can obtain funds by participating in the Hardee's Puts Good Food & Fun Into Fundraising. This program is being conducted by Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Inc., at Hardee's restaurants in Virginia and nearby states. Krispy Kreme doughnuts also has a good fundraising program.
   
5. The cost of my helpful program for your community is $25. A money order should be sent to Martin N. Danenberg, 7 Blazer Drive, Islandia, NY 11749.
   
6. Please inform other churches and Hispanic associations about this project.
   
7. Also contact your regional bishop or church association representative to tell him about this project. The quicker the word gets out the more people can be helped all over the United States. I would even suggest that someone donate the project to several churches, just as some people donated tickets for people to see The Passion.
   
8. The GED Practice tests alone would cost an individual about $44. So you can see that this is not a typical business venture. We must cover our office expenses in order to continue providing this assistance.
   
9. THE GED PRACTICE TEST CAN ALSO BE USED FOR EIGHTH GRADERS WHO NEED TO TAKE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS. THEIR WEAKNESSES CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND THEY CAN GET HELP BEFORE THEY GET LEFT BACK.

I am the GED teacher in the Consulate of El Salvador in Brentwood, NY, as well as consultant to the Consulate of the Dominican Republic in New York City and the Consulate of Mexico in Washington D.C. I am also consultant to Aspira of Puerto Rico in New York City and my articles about the GED have been featured in newspapers all over the country. I have spoken at the International Convention of Asamblea de Iglesias Cristianas and I am well known to the Iglesia de Dios y Asamblea de Dios also. Recently my contacts and support include three board members of Radio Vision Cristiana International, the publishers of Alerta Magazine, Reverend Ricardo Reyes and Reverenda Lucy Reyes, and an associate of Reverend Jesse Miranda. Someone in the Methodist Church has also told me that my program is a great evangelical idea and that there is money available for it in the church.

Islandia, New York 11749
Martin N. Danenberg
7 Blazer Drive
Phone and Fax: 631-348-1341
Cell: 631-807-0820
Internet: [email protected]

Please take a moment to look at an article about me on the internet called "El Quijote del GED." This article was recently published in La Tribuna Hispana USA by reporter Juan Limachi. If your church does not have internet access, you can ask someone that you know to find it, print it, and communicate with me at my internet address.