The Young Adult Learning Center
@ Maya Angelou Learning Campus
The YALC continues to be one of the highest performing GED graduate programs in the District.
In-person or virtual General Education Diploma Classes and CTE Workforce Certifications for adults 17 and up.
Lashes | Nails | Braiding | Hair Styling | Loc Maintenance
💻 Click here for the YALC Enrollment Application
YALC ENROLLMENT CONTACT INFORMATION
Kewanna Wooden (She/Her)
✉ kwade@seeforever.org
☎ 202-289-8898 ext. 1709 | 202-684-5884
DID YOU KNOW? If you lean on the Maya family tree staff and faculty, you will be covered! We provide help for all students including: housing and/or food insecure YALC students, parenting and grandparenting YALC students, and previously incarcerated YALC students. The YALC offers an accredited, quality accessible GED education with an optional choice of several cosmetology technical certifications for DC residents.
Take advantage of a vast range of educational opportunities to earn your high school equivalency diploma and achieve career success at the Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center. You can earn your diploma and secure your CTE certificate while exploring a variety of in-house professional development resources, arts showcases, child/whole family friendly events, and innovative career-boosting workshops.
All of our trained instructors are highly qualified professionals who teach small, round table-style classes. You will receive personalized, individual attention through a variety of interesting teaching styles, mentorships and networking opportunities as well as and free homework or tutoring help when requested or needed. Our core examine subjects center around:
💬 Reasoning Through Language Arts
🗽 Social Studies
🌿 Science
🧮 Mathematics
All of our courses are taught with an emphasis on creative projects and competitions, important critical thinking skills and active participation. Students have the option to attend a daily 3-hour course in the morning or afternoon. Students may also attend classes virtually between the hours of 9:00am to 2:00pm. We do not offer nighttime classes at this time.

Do you know a non-traditional teen, older adult or continuing education student who needs their GED? Send them to the Maya Angelou YALC!
If you have a scholar in mind that you think would benefit from attending the Young Adult Learning Center’s GED/CTE program please contact Kewanna Wade-Wooden (she/her) at kwade@seeforever.org or (202) 289-8898 ext. 1709/202-684-5884 (mobile). Include your full name and phone number, as well as the contact information of the person (or people) you are referring to the YALC GED/CTE program. Tours and appointments available.
WE CAN HANDLE IT: SPECIALTY ACCOMMODATIONS AND SERVICES
⚫ At the YALC and Maya Angelou Schools, we warmly embrace students who Special Education services and additional academic or socioemotional support. Enrolled YALC students and Maya Alumni can benefit from counseling, mentoring and referrals from our licensed and qualified mental health practitioners and student success managers.
🔴 Our staff and faculty have on-site, qualified administrators, social workers and clinicians who will gladly provide suggested or necessary accommodations to ensure that every student has a smooth school day, successful graduation and an overall enriching experience at the YALC.
AVAILABLE CERTIFICATIONS:
🆕 17+ Makeup Artistry Certificate Programs
- 8-week courses; Fridays only
- Our licensed instruction team provides students with quality instruction that will help them jump start their careers in these expanding cosmetology fields
- Course is only available to individuals already holding a cosmetology license, esthetician license, and/or enrolled in our full-time Cosmetology program
- To enroll, you must be a DC resident, between the ages of 17-24, have a high school diploma/GED
- If you do not have a high school diploma or GED, then you must be enrolled in the GED program at the YALC
- The YALC offers a CTE certification course in Nail Technology for $250
Take advantage of this exciting opportunity today. For more information, please contact Kewanna Wade, Enrollment Specialist, at kwade@seeforever.org or (202) 289-8898 ext. 1709.
🆕 Cosmetology, Barbering, Nail Technology & Braiding Certificate Programs
- Monday-Friday morning sessions
- Cosmetology and Barbering Programs required 1500 hours; 8-10 months to program completion
- Nail Technology Program requires 350 hours; 3-5 months to program completion
- Braiding Program requires 100 hours; 8-9 weeks to program completion
- Cosmetology, Barbering, Braiding and Nail Technology require $300.00 payment for enrollment; this is the only fee associated with the program.
The YALC offers certifications in Cosmetology, Barbering, Nail Technology and Braiding. Fully licensed and working nail artists, barbers and cosmetologists in the self-care industries will lead a close-knit cohort of students during several months of challenging lessons. Students will learn about different hair or nail types, application techniques and the most popular styles and current trends to grow their clientele. Enrolled students will receive materials for the class at no additional cost. Once completed graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills to provide their clients with outstanding service for years to come.
Certification students must have a high school diploma. If there is no high school diploma, program applicants can dually enroll at the YALC to earn both a 1) GED and 2) Cosmetology certification.
Hydroponics Greenhouse
The Hoop House Greenhouse is the Maya Angelou Schools Urban Farm System grown with hydroponics. The hydroponics-based greenhouse is fully operational on the MALC campus. Please contact Leah Lamb (she/her) directly at LLamb@seeforever.org for more information.
- Students from the YALC that are interested in the program are required to participate in the Hoop House internship program. In the program, students not only learn the fundamentals of urban farming and food sourcing, but provide on-hands support with the growth and care process of the produce that is grown on site. Most recently the Hoop House has grown Butter Lettuce, Collard Greens and Sweet Basil.
- The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) at the University of the District of Columbia has supported the development of the Hoop House Hydroponics Garden program at Maya Angelou Schools in partnership with their East Capitol Urban Farm garden program.
- The Hoop House hydroponic garden can produce hundreds of servings of produce in a harvesting period of 3-4 weeks. The Hoop House program has participated in food markets, offering samples and selling produce to customers across DC. Much of the harvested produce has been given free of charge to local community members in Ward 7.
- 8-week courses; Fridays only
- Our licensed instruction team provides students with quality instruction that will help them jump start their careers in these expanding cosmetology fields
- Course is only available to individuals already holding a cosmetology license, esthetician license, and/or enrolled in our full-time Cosmetology program
- To enroll, you must be a DC resident, between the ages of 17-24, have a high school diploma/GED
- If you do not have a high school diploma or GED, then you must be enrolled in the GED program at the YALC
- The YALC offers a CTE certification course in Nail Technology for $250
Take advantage of this exciting opportunity today. For more information, please contact Kewanna Wade, Enrollment Specialist, at kwade@seeforever.org or (202) 289-8898 ext. 1709.
- Monday-Friday morning sessions
- Cosmetology and Barbering Programs required 1500 hours; 8-10 months to program completion
- Nail Technology Program requires 350 hours; 3-5 months to program completion
- Braiding Program requires 100 hours; 8-9 weeks to program completion
- Cosmetology, Barbering, Braiding and Nail Technology require $300.00 payment for enrollment; this is the only fee associated with the program.
The YALC offers certifications in Cosmetology, Barbering, Nail Technology and Braiding. Fully licensed and working nail artists, barbers and cosmetologists in the self-care industries will lead a close-knit cohort of students during several months of challenging lessons. Students will learn about different hair or nail types, application techniques and the most popular styles and current trends to grow their clientele. Enrolled students will receive materials for the class at no additional cost. Once completed graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills to provide their clients with outstanding service for years to come.
Certification students must have a high school diploma. If there is no high school diploma, program applicants can dually enroll at the YALC to earn both a 1) GED and 2) Cosmetology certification.
The Hoop House Greenhouse is the Maya Angelou Schools Urban Farm System grown with hydroponics. The hydroponics-based greenhouse is fully operational on the MALC campus. Please contact Leah Lamb (she/her) directly at LLamb@seeforever.org for more information.
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YALC FOCUS 🧭
The Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center (YALC) provides year-round GED preparation and workforce development for young people ages 17 and up. Through education at our school, students will be active participants in their community, as well as develop skills that will prepare them for the workforce and empower them to pursue career and post-secondary pathways of their choice. Through education at our school, students will be active participants in their community, as well as develop skills that will prepare them for the workforce and empower them to pursue career and post-secondary pathways of their choice.
At the YALC, we are committed to providing an education that will foster lifelong learning for our students. We strive to provide a safe, distraction-free, structured learning environment that is conducive to the scholar’s individual needs. Our school is especially tailored to adults 17 years and older who have made the conscious decision to return to school after being away for quite some time.
STUDENT LIFE ⭐
Even though our students are very busy with work and family, we still host a number of Student Life events throughout the year – family dinners on campus, term awards ceremonies, college trips, and outings just to museums to name a few. We offer:
◻ Immersive Field Trips
◻ Semester Awards Banquet
◻ Parenting Classes, Workshops & Resources
◻ Community Eats (Free Groceries)
◻ GED Olympics
◻ Art Festivals and Talent Showcases
◻ Culture & Heritage Trips
◻ Free daily breakfast and lunch at the YALC Cafe
◻ Community Service Opportunities
◻ Community and Campus Spa Days
◻ Mentor Groups Workshops & Resources