Traditional classroom instruction is, in many ways, still the foundation for further knowledge; however, for thousands of out-of-school youth and non-traditional adult students, giving the books another chance can be even more challenging than when they were in school the first time.

Ranging in age from 17-80, most individuals in adult education and community college programs experience numerous barriers to obtaining certificates and degrees that traditional students typically do not have. Among the most common are work and family responsibilities, lack of transportation, inadequate and expensive childcare and housing, unrealistic or missing goals, previously-unidentified learning disabilities, and lack of support at home. Some have been incarcerated and have little chance of changing their lives under traditional educational settings. So many live at poverty-level but have dreams of moving forward.

Offering opportunity and hope, the Colorado Success UNlimited (SUN) College Connection initiative is a bridge program that helps under-prepared students improve academic skills, plan careers, and receive personal and logistical support to successfully transition into post-secondary education - while reducing time and money spent in remedial training, and building confidence for college and careers.

Jennifer Sheaman, navigator for the College Connection program at Front Range Community College’s Center for Adult Learning explains, "Most are young, bright and ambitious, despite the pervasive stereotype of a generation of lost souls who value texting over textbooks…Most want to actively participate in their own futures, but come from generational poverty and families for whom education was only a fleeting desire."

"Our students come to our program with many lessons learned," says Northeastern Junior College SUN site director and program teacher Misti Lauer. "Often, these are students who have been in the workforce long enough to discover that the availability of jobs and the potential for future earnings is severely impacted by their lack of education. Because our classroom is made up of all ages and all academic levels, it can be a very rich atmosphere for everyone."

"We have lots of young, single moms and some young fathers; many students under 21, and a few older males and females—looking to re-enter the workforce or forced out of their current occupations and thus needing more education, explains Stephanie Moran, instructor at the Durango Adult Education Center and Southwest Colorado Community College. "Some students are sent by their probation officers, and the court."

Interestingly enough, there are even cases where GED learners were straight A students who simply became bored with the pace of traditional class work.

So in the face of classic pedagogy or teacher-directed instruction, how can these diverse groups of students with such varying levels of maturity, experience, and academic skills achieve the same academic goals?

By building a learning community.

Colorado SUN College Connection programs across the state are experiencing what research-based evidence has demonstrated in other programs. Students participating in learning communities stay in school longer and achieve their goals at a higher rate. When students begin a program together with a sense of community, amazing things happen. Magic comes in the support—and accountability–provided by the learning community.

Because the SUN College Connection classes are small and intensive in format, students are presented with a constant "compass" delivered collectively as "cohorts." Small groups of individuals working closely can exert an enormous amount of influence over the members.

Students participating in SUN programs benefit from creative strategies that support the learning community approach. Informative and interactive college orientations lay the groundwork for the confidence needed to succeed in the classroom. Academic cohorts - studying math, reading, writing, and career exploration - effect sustainability of the learning process. Meaningful team-building and synthesizing activities foster relationships and camaraderie. Regularly-scheduled study sessions, varied work groups, and daily and weekly check-ins provide consistent academic support. Team-teaching demonstrates collaboration and organization skills; lunches with staff and students provide personal coaching opportunities in areas such as parenting and health; and strong, interactive communication modeled by program staff, both in and out of the classroom, encourages communication among students.

Nan Uhl, math instructor at the Durango Adult Education Center and Southwest Colorado Community College emphasizes that key success factors in the classroom also include: setting and maintaining a tone of respect for each person; listening to one another with care; and providing opportunities for learners to work with one another and share knowledge and/or questions.

"The classroom community is established over time with the help of the instructor or facilitator taking the lead in the beginning, adds Kathi Bell, navigator for the Northeastern Junior College and Morgan Community College SUN programs. Sharing information, building trust and friendships, and helping students understand that the classroom is "risk free" are important. Mistakes are OK – respect for each other is paramount - our goal as a classroom community is to encourage and support each other whenever possible."

As Moran notes, many students in her program have experienced personal hardships and troubled families, so they have a certain type of maturity that accepts life as it is. That can also work against the students when they feel done in by life and hopeless, so the strength of the student community's support is a truly enormous benefit–the students often buoy one another in such a way as to keep them coming to school. "We are positive about seemingly small things that actually mean a lot in terms of showing our care and belief in our students' ability to succeed."

So for the thousands of out-of-school youth and adult learners in Colorado seeking a better life for themselves and their families, the results of learning communities are significant. Working together in diverse, supportive classrooms – addressing the many barriers they face every day - these students gain academic and self-advocacy skills, an understanding of the importance of persisting in college to achieve their academic and career goals, and – most importantly - a sense of direction and hope.