| 112th Year, 26th Issue | Thursday, February 8, 2001 | Sparta, North Carolina |
Editor's note: This article is the second in a series about literacy and other education efforts in the county following numerous plant closings.
More than 80 percent of the students enrolled at the Wilkes Community College Alleghany Campus are former textile workers laid off by the recent factory shutdowns.
They are trying to complete and/or continue their education with help from NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) funding.
Several of those students were interviewed recently at the college. They enjoy learning, and they said they appreciate the college's efforts.
Some, however, also voiced concerns: Will NAFTA funding fall short -
especially for those who dropped out of school years ago - before their
education and/or retraining is completed? Will the jobs be there once
they are trained?
Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News!
Email: news@alleghanynews.com