Native Students Stepping Forward:
Dollar General High School Equivalency
Completion Program
2014 – Ongoing
About The Program
The American Indian College Fund’s Native Students Stepping Forward: Dollar General High School Equivalency Completion Program, previously known as the Dollar General American Indian and Alaska Native Literacy and Adult Education Program, supports American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) pursuing their High School Equivalency (HSE)/General Education Diploma (GED) credentials through Tribal College and University (TCU)-implemented programming.
Like the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) that funds the program at up to $300,000 annually, Native Students Stepping Forward is committed to helping individuals of all ages receive the educational foundation they need to succeed in post-secondary education opportunities or the workforce. Through grants to TCUs, the program seeks to strategically expand services and resources to achieve measurable outcomes in HSE/GED program enrollment, retention, and completion. In a continuous effort to value the whole student, the program aims to assess and address students’ needs to succeed, encourages culturally relevant programming elements, promotes visibility of HSE/GED students at TCUs, and supports college and career readiness programming components.
Program Gallery
Grantees
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Northwest Indian College
Oglala Lakota College
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
Sinte Gleska University
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Tohono O'odham Community College
Turtle Mountain Community College
Related Blogs
Always Something to Learn – TCU GED Tutor Feature
Oglala Lakota College GED tutors find themselves learning and celebrating milestones along with their students.
SGU Connects Arts and Culture to GED Classroom
Sinte Gleska University’s high school equivalency students become grounded in their cultural identities as they lead community engagement efforts through Native Arts workshops.
Giving Back to Native Youth
Jeri’s first step to achieving her dream of serving and supporting Native youth is completing her high school equivalency degree at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University.
Tohono O’odham Community College’s Pre-College Program Graduates Three GED Students in 2022 and Launches Pre-College GED FAST TRACK Option in 2023
Tohono O’odham Community College continues to make strides in pre-college pathway options for Native students, setting them up for success in their college and career journeys.
