Written Stories 2007
Esther's Story
Submitted by Maureen Hoyt, ACYR
Esther Gomez related that in the fourth grade, she was placed in a class with all Spanish speaking children. She said that this was the beginning of her troubled educational experience- Esther did not speak Spanish, and her mother was not in a position to intervene on her behalf.
Esther Gomez entered the ACYR Adult education class in March 05. She had a strong determination to succeed, a vital attribute for a 17 year old woman with no work history and a low educational level. Esther was a typical basic education student who never attended high school; her reading was assessed at a 4.5 grade level, math at 6.4, and language at 5.8.
Esther steadily increased her classroom attendance, from 30 to 40 hours per month in 2005 to an average of 63 hours per month for all of 2006. She worked diligently on pre-GED texts and Skillstutor on the computer, practicing her language skills in daily letters to her long time boyfriend, who was incarcerated. She formed strong bonds with both staff and fellow students.
Esther joined the ACYR Workforce Investment ACT (WIA) Program in April, 2005. She took work readiness classes, where she developed a resume and interview skills. A few months after joining the WIA program, she found a part time job at Harkins Theater. She also worked in the ACYR summer youth work experience program in the summer of 2006, demonstrating outstanding attendance and job performance.
In the spring of 2006, Esther wrote: “I know that if I don’t go to college, I won’t be able to make as much money. The job I’m in only pays $5.90 an hour. In about two more years of schooling, I know I’ll be making $9-$10.”
The later part of 2006 was eventful for Esther. She passed the GED exam, with a 73 percentile ranking in language arts writing in July and the same month was promoted to manager at Harkins. She bought her own car, and in November, Esther married her boyfriend.
The fourth ACYR program that Esther joined was the Maricopa Youth Alliance, which assists youthful offenders with education and employment. This program, through guidance and financial assistance, helped Esther realize her dream of being the first in her family to attend college. She is currently enrolled at Glendale Community College in a college reading course, and making $9 an hour managing other young employees at Harkins.
Her counselor, Michelle wrote “It is always so gratifying to see so many ACYR staff involved in assisting a young person’s success. Hats off to Angelica, Rebeka and Sharon for being competent, caring, involved individuals. It’s been a pleasure to work with such a motivated, strong, focused young woman”.
Esther Gomez related that in the fourth grade, she was placed in a class with all Spanish speaking children. She said that this was the beginning of her troubled educational experience- Esther did not speak Spanish, and her mother was not in a position to intervene on her behalf.
Esther Gomez entered the ACYR Adult education class in March 05. She had a strong determination to succeed, a vital attribute for a 17 year old woman with no work history and a low educational level. Esther was a typical basic education student who never attended high school; her reading was assessed at a 4.5 grade level, math at 6.4, and language at 5.8.
Esther steadily increased her classroom attendance, from 30 to 40 hours per month in 2005 to an average of 63 hours per month for all of 2006. She worked diligently on pre-GED texts and Skillstutor on the computer, practicing her language skills in daily letters to her long time boyfriend, who was incarcerated. She formed strong bonds with both staff and fellow students.
Esther joined the ACYR Workforce Investment ACT (WIA) Program in April, 2005. She took work readiness classes, where she developed a resume and interview skills. A few months after joining the WIA program, she found a part time job at Harkins Theater. She also worked in the ACYR summer youth work experience program in the summer of 2006, demonstrating outstanding attendance and job performance.
In the spring of 2006, Esther wrote: “I know that if I don’t go to college, I won’t be able to make as much money. The job I’m in only pays $5.90 an hour. In about two more years of schooling, I know I’ll be making $9-$10.”
The later part of 2006 was eventful for Esther. She passed the GED exam, with a 73 percentile ranking in language arts writing in July and the same month was promoted to manager at Harkins. She bought her own car, and in November, Esther married her boyfriend.
The fourth ACYR program that Esther joined was the Maricopa Youth Alliance, which assists youthful offenders with education and employment. This program, through guidance and financial assistance, helped Esther realize her dream of being the first in her family to attend college. She is currently enrolled at Glendale Community College in a college reading course, and making $9 an hour managing other young employees at Harkins.
Her counselor, Michelle wrote “It is always so gratifying to see so many ACYR staff involved in assisting a young person’s success. Hats off to Angelica, Rebeka and Sharon for being competent, caring, involved individuals. It’s been a pleasure to work with such a motivated, strong, focused young woman”.
Eyes on the Prize
Sesily was an 18 year old teen mother of a two year old daughter when she began my Tolleson GED class. I had just begun the program and she was one of my first students to enroll. Prior to starting our class, there were very limited GED classes available in her area so she had been waiting for this opportunity for a while.
She was a very focused student, from the very beginning. She was always on time, if not early for class every day. Her assessments showed that she would be able to begin her testing soon, but still needed some time to sharpen her math and reading skills.
About two weeks into the program, however, Sesily ran into an obstacle that almost prevented her from being able to complete her studies and achieve her goal of obtaining her GED. Child care had always been an issue for her, but between her mother and her grandmother watching her daughter, she was able to attend class. However, one day she informed both me as well as her Workforce Investment Act career advisor that her uncle had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and she was going to have to drop out of class and assist with his care. We could tell that this was devastating to her but she understood her responsibility to assist her family at this time. The next day, she was in class at her regular time and informed us that her grandmother had decided that it was important for Sesily to continue her studies and that grandmother would take care of her uncle. She was overjoyed as she had not wanted to stop working towards her goal of obtaining her GED and following her dream of becoming a cosmetologist.
Sesily began GED testing, later that week, and decided to take all five tests at once. I was concerned as this involved 8 hours of testing in one day. Sesily came back to see me, next week, and showed me her results. Not only had she passed her tests, but had scored in the 500’s in all areas!
Now, I am happy to report that Sesily is now enrolled in a Beauty College and is doing well. She came to see me and reported that she is doing very well and is looking forward to graduating and starting work in a salon. I congratulated her on her success and commented on how she had starting working towards her goals and never stopped. She looked so happy and thanked me, as well as her career advisor, for always motivating her and helping her to keep her eyes on the prize, no matter how hard the going got.
She was a very focused student, from the very beginning. She was always on time, if not early for class every day. Her assessments showed that she would be able to begin her testing soon, but still needed some time to sharpen her math and reading skills.
About two weeks into the program, however, Sesily ran into an obstacle that almost prevented her from being able to complete her studies and achieve her goal of obtaining her GED. Child care had always been an issue for her, but between her mother and her grandmother watching her daughter, she was able to attend class. However, one day she informed both me as well as her Workforce Investment Act career advisor that her uncle had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and she was going to have to drop out of class and assist with his care. We could tell that this was devastating to her but she understood her responsibility to assist her family at this time. The next day, she was in class at her regular time and informed us that her grandmother had decided that it was important for Sesily to continue her studies and that grandmother would take care of her uncle. She was overjoyed as she had not wanted to stop working towards her goal of obtaining her GED and following her dream of becoming a cosmetologist.
Sesily began GED testing, later that week, and decided to take all five tests at once. I was concerned as this involved 8 hours of testing in one day. Sesily came back to see me, next week, and showed me her results. Not only had she passed her tests, but had scored in the 500’s in all areas!
Now, I am happy to report that Sesily is now enrolled in a Beauty College and is doing well. She came to see me and reported that she is doing very well and is looking forward to graduating and starting work in a salon. I congratulated her on her success and commented on how she had starting working towards her goals and never stopped. She looked so happy and thanked me, as well as her career advisor, for always motivating her and helping her to keep her eyes on the prize, no matter how hard the going got.
From Student to Teacher
Student Nominations for NAEHS
El Pueblo-Liberty
January 2007
El Pueblo-Liberty nominates Lidia Sanchez for induction into the National Adult Ed Honor Society. She has always had a strong work ethic and is a dedicated, determined student and an active member of Student Leadership Council and Border Action Network. Lidia is an outstanding role model and an inspiration to other students.
As a child in Guadalajara , Mexico , Lidia Sanchez never had the opportunity to attend school. She grew up with 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Since Lidia was the oldest of eight children, her father decided that she should stay home and help her mother cook, clean, wash clothes and watch her twin brothers. She felt envious because her cousin and friends went to school, but it was too expensive for Lidia to attend, and besides, her mother needed her help around the house.
More than thirty-two years ago Lidia moved to the United States as a young adult, but she only spoke Spanish and was illiterate in both Spanish and English. She always worked as a cook in a Mexican restaurant even while raising her five children. During her first 30 years in America , she could only speak a little bit of English; she was embarrassed whenever she tried because nobody could understand her.
First, Lidia tackled learning the alphabet, then she learned how to speak, read and write English, and finally, she will soon realize her long-time dream of becoming a U.S. citizen when in March she takes the Citizenship test. Lidia’s motto is, “It was hard to learn English, but it’s never too hard nor too late.”
She started at the bottom, but has risen to the top and sets a great example for others who may think it is too late!
El Pueblo-Liberty
January 2007
El Pueblo-Liberty nominates Lidia Sanchez for induction into the National Adult Ed Honor Society. She has always had a strong work ethic and is a dedicated, determined student and an active member of Student Leadership Council and Border Action Network. Lidia is an outstanding role model and an inspiration to other students.
As a child in Guadalajara , Mexico , Lidia Sanchez never had the opportunity to attend school. She grew up with 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Since Lidia was the oldest of eight children, her father decided that she should stay home and help her mother cook, clean, wash clothes and watch her twin brothers. She felt envious because her cousin and friends went to school, but it was too expensive for Lidia to attend, and besides, her mother needed her help around the house.
More than thirty-two years ago Lidia moved to the United States as a young adult, but she only spoke Spanish and was illiterate in both Spanish and English. She always worked as a cook in a Mexican restaurant even while raising her five children. During her first 30 years in America , she could only speak a little bit of English; she was embarrassed whenever she tried because nobody could understand her.
First, Lidia tackled learning the alphabet, then she learned how to speak, read and write English, and finally, she will soon realize her long-time dream of becoming a U.S. citizen when in March she takes the Citizenship test. Lidia’s motto is, “It was hard to learn English, but it’s never too hard nor too late.”
She started at the bottom, but has risen to the top and sets a great example for others who may think it is too late!
Olga's Story- A Successful Citizen
Submitted by Tom Kowalczyk
When Olga Lucia Bocanegra started taking ELAA classes at the Scottsdale Adult Learning Center (SALC), she found a way to educate herself and achieve her dream of attending the university. Through sheer will and hard work, Olga Lucia is now enrolled in an MA program studying Linguistics and Spanish at ASU. Her success in the program has already been recognized by her department. She became a graduate teaching assistant with a teaching load of two full classes of undergraduate students. With a BA in International Business and Communications along with a Certificate of Spanish-English Translation (which she picked up while taking overloads every semester) from ASU and an AA from Scottsdale Community College (SCC), Olga Lucia shows the way for many other immigrant students who are eager and motivated to achieve personal and professional goals.
Olga Lucia is thankful for all the guidance and preparation she received from her dedicated teachers at SALC. They helped her build the confidence she lacked in using English for her daily life and for the rigors of post-secondary education at SCC and at ASU. Olga Lucia does not forget how she got to ASU. After she left SALC, she maintained her ties with the center volunteering her time and energy in the office as a way of giving something back to the center that helped her so much. After starting as a volunteer receptionist, she soon became an ELAA instructor there.
Olga Lucia says, “There are so many opportunities to study for students who are willing to work hard, but you have to earn them.”
The teachers that worked with Olga Lucia say that she is an inspiration to them and a great role model for other students to follow. With all the accomplishments already to her name, there is one more to add. Olga Lucia became a proud U.S. citizen on March 11, 2005. This is a student we can all be proud of.
When Olga Lucia Bocanegra started taking ELAA classes at the Scottsdale Adult Learning Center (SALC), she found a way to educate herself and achieve her dream of attending the university. Through sheer will and hard work, Olga Lucia is now enrolled in an MA program studying Linguistics and Spanish at ASU. Her success in the program has already been recognized by her department. She became a graduate teaching assistant with a teaching load of two full classes of undergraduate students. With a BA in International Business and Communications along with a Certificate of Spanish-English Translation (which she picked up while taking overloads every semester) from ASU and an AA from Scottsdale Community College (SCC), Olga Lucia shows the way for many other immigrant students who are eager and motivated to achieve personal and professional goals.
Olga Lucia is thankful for all the guidance and preparation she received from her dedicated teachers at SALC. They helped her build the confidence she lacked in using English for her daily life and for the rigors of post-secondary education at SCC and at ASU. Olga Lucia does not forget how she got to ASU. After she left SALC, she maintained her ties with the center volunteering her time and energy in the office as a way of giving something back to the center that helped her so much. After starting as a volunteer receptionist, she soon became an ELAA instructor there.
Olga Lucia says, “There are so many opportunities to study for students who are willing to work hard, but you have to earn them.”
The teachers that worked with Olga Lucia say that she is an inspiration to them and a great role model for other students to follow. With all the accomplishments already to her name, there is one more to add. Olga Lucia became a proud U.S. citizen on March 11, 2005. This is a student we can all be proud of.
A Huge Leap - Rosaura's Story
From Thrift Store to Accounting Firm
Tom Kowalczyk from Rio Transition Team
Rosaura Cardenas is now enjoying the fruit of all her hard work and effort. On May 12, 2006 , Rosaura graduated from Phoenix College with an Associate in Business and Accounting, not only with Highest Distinction, but also as co-valedictorian of the 2006 graduating class. She finished with perfect scores in both of these challenging majors. What makes her accomplishment even more remarkable is the fact that she did not even know English until just a few years ago.
In spring 2000, Rosaura was an ESOL student at the Rio Salado Adult Learning Center Seventh Avenue in downtown Phoenix . Having just arrived from Sonora , Mexico , she worked her way up through the ESOL program and then took advantage of the Transition Program to help her get started at Phoenix College . She used the Transition Scholarship in her first semester there, and then used the Project Success scholarship to finance the rest of her education along with books and supplies. “Rio Salado really opened the door for me. I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the support of the Transition Team and teachers at Rio . They were a huge help for me,” comments Rosaura.
Ms. Cardenas remembers the old days when she was working at a thrift store and earning minimum wage. She was also getting up at 5 every morning in order to take the first bus from the far west valley into centralPhoenix to come to Rio . With no car and almost no money, she had big dreams. She said, “The thrift store was OK for me back then, but not for my whole life. I wanted to have a better job. I didn’t want to take 2 or 3 jobs just to have a higher standard of living. I needed to satisfy my dream of working as a professional.”
Rosaura is now a professional accountant specializing in taxes at a local accounting firm. She is the only Spanish speaking accountant in the office and has brought in a lot of business for the firm. Upon graduating, she was rewarded with a big raise and promise of a bright future if she stays with the firm. She plans to continue her education at ASU with the goal of getting a master’s in taxation some day and becoming a CPA. No doubt the extra money will help her in achieving this dream.
She has advice for the new students in light of Proposition 300. “Don’t give up. Some doors have closed, but some are still open. Be active and stand up to look for all opportunities. Everything starts with English to improve communication, understand the culture and integrate into the American mainstream. If you can do that, you will access other opportunities.”
Rosaura in spite of her many obstacles was able to overcome the odds and achieve the American dream. “If I can do it, you can do it, too,” she says. “There is no difference at all.”
Tom Kowalczyk from Rio Transition Team
Rosaura Cardenas is now enjoying the fruit of all her hard work and effort. On May 12, 2006 , Rosaura graduated from Phoenix College with an Associate in Business and Accounting, not only with Highest Distinction, but also as co-valedictorian of the 2006 graduating class. She finished with perfect scores in both of these challenging majors. What makes her accomplishment even more remarkable is the fact that she did not even know English until just a few years ago.
In spring 2000, Rosaura was an ESOL student at the Rio Salado Adult Learning Center Seventh Avenue in downtown Phoenix . Having just arrived from Sonora , Mexico , she worked her way up through the ESOL program and then took advantage of the Transition Program to help her get started at Phoenix College . She used the Transition Scholarship in her first semester there, and then used the Project Success scholarship to finance the rest of her education along with books and supplies. “Rio Salado really opened the door for me. I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the support of the Transition Team and teachers at Rio . They were a huge help for me,” comments Rosaura.
Ms. Cardenas remembers the old days when she was working at a thrift store and earning minimum wage. She was also getting up at 5 every morning in order to take the first bus from the far west valley into centralPhoenix to come to Rio . With no car and almost no money, she had big dreams. She said, “The thrift store was OK for me back then, but not for my whole life. I wanted to have a better job. I didn’t want to take 2 or 3 jobs just to have a higher standard of living. I needed to satisfy my dream of working as a professional.”
Rosaura is now a professional accountant specializing in taxes at a local accounting firm. She is the only Spanish speaking accountant in the office and has brought in a lot of business for the firm. Upon graduating, she was rewarded with a big raise and promise of a bright future if she stays with the firm. She plans to continue her education at ASU with the goal of getting a master’s in taxation some day and becoming a CPA. No doubt the extra money will help her in achieving this dream.
She has advice for the new students in light of Proposition 300. “Don’t give up. Some doors have closed, but some are still open. Be active and stand up to look for all opportunities. Everything starts with English to improve communication, understand the culture and integrate into the American mainstream. If you can do that, you will access other opportunities.”
Rosaura in spite of her many obstacles was able to overcome the odds and achieve the American dream. “If I can do it, you can do it, too,” she says. “There is no difference at all.”
