EASTHAMPTON – After dropping out of high school, Easthampton resident Peter Morris, now 32 years old, went on to work for years at the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s distribution center, then Friendly’s for a couple of years, before going on disability to search for a long-term career.

“I don’t really make a lot of money anymore, and it’s just tough,” Morris said. “I’m starting to make the changes to go to school and do everything I’m supposed to do to get a job … I’m trying to make my life better.”

Part of that journey for Morris is attending classes at the Literacy Project, a 40-year-old program that provides around 200 adults of all ages in Hampshire and Franklin counties with free basic education coursework centering on reading, writing, math and digital literacy skills. The agency recently planted roots in Easthampton, its sixth location in the region.

The ultimate goal of the program is to prepare students to take the General Educational Development (GED) or High School Equivalency (HiSET) test and go to college or find a job with better pay or a job in a field that otherwise was not accessible.

Morris is aiming to pass the HiSET, attend Holyoke Community College, and eventually find a job in the business field.

“Right now it’s a good time because the state will pay for either of the tests,” said Literacy Project teacher Thane Thomson, referring to the GED and HiSET tests, “and community college is now free to people over twenty-five.”

Another student, Sharon Beeson-Nelson, age 60, is returning to the program after taking a break since the COVID-19 lockdown.

Beeson-Nelson already passed the social studies and English GED tests, and is preparing to take the science, math and reading tests, with the ultimate hope of becoming a nurse.

With sites in Northampton, Amherst, Greenfield, Orange and Ware, the Literacy Project recently expanded into Easthampton, where it is now holding biweekly classes at the Municipal Building, 50 Payson Ave.

The move into Easthampton, said Executive Director Colleen Kucinski, “grew from an enthusiasm on Easthampton’s part in conjunction with an enthusiasm on our part to really begin to reach more of our community.”

Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said, “The Literacy Project has been an organization that I’ve admired and has great respect in the community. … We’re really excited to have them.”

“I very purposefully invited them into City Hall to break down that barrier as part of who accesses public space,” she said. “If you really want to look at equity and diversity and make it not something of an add-on, but really embrace problems of barriers, then agencies like the Literacy Project need to have boots on the ground in municipal buildings.”

During class, not only does Thomson teach math, social studies, writing and other important educational skills, but he also works with students in an advising capacity to develop an academic and career plan.

“It’s a really holistic attempt to work with our students towards succeeding through education,” Kucinski said.

Because the group is so diverse in age and background, Thomson said that students often learn from one another.

“I really pay attention to what students’ interests are,” he said. “They come into the class as adults, and they bring experiences with them, so we really try to build on what people bring to the class.”

“People come with all different ways to do math problems, and often with methods of trying a variety of approaches to find out what works best for people,” he said. “As a teacher, I’m always learning.”

Enrollment for the Literacy Project is on a rolling basis. Those interested can learn more at https://www.literacyproject.org/classes-at-the-literacy-project.

Maddie Fabian can be reached at mfabian@gazettenet.com.