Rio Stories 2

An eighteen year old male student of mine got his GED diploma through our program. He was recruited by an Army recruiter who came to my class. The Army even paid for the GED test.

After eight months in the Rio Community College 7^th Ave. ELAA program, Jose spoke English well enough to become a crew leader for a construction company that is participating in the renovation/re-modeling of the Civic Plaza.

This job promotion made it possible for him to better support his family and increased his self-confidence.

When I met Lizette, she had recently arrived in the early 1990’s from Sonora, Mexico. Unable to communicate and anxious to learn, she started ELAA classes. After six months of study, she enrolled in Phoenix College, and I lost track of her.

One day in line at the grocery store, I heard her familiar voice conversing fluently in English with the clerk.

I greeted her and asked her how she was doing. To my surprise, she told me she was a junior at A.S.U. and studying business. She invited me two years later to her wedding.

In ten short years, after arriving as a teen, Lizette was an A.S.U. graduate, enrolled in a Master’s Program and a happily married, successful businesswoman.

Mike is in his mid-forties and a stocker at a local grocery store. He is the survivor of an abusive marriage and is the father of several dysfunctional adult children.

A few years ago, he married Maria, a native of Mexico. They have a four year old son. Mike does not want his small son to grow up with a dad who did not finish high school. So Mike enrolled in a GED Prep class. His employer promised a promotion if he passed the exam.

Mike studied for long hours. He took unpaid time off of work and enlisted his wife in the effort. Eight weeks later, he passed his exam!

This GED graduate who attended Sky Harbor Center immediately enrolled through Rio Salado Community College’s Transition team in college courses. He has already successfully finished his first quarter semester.

His goal is to become a teacher of science and math. He is a very determined young man, goal oriented, and will be successful.

Source: Teacher at Glendale Community College

Cheryl

Cheryl is an Adult Basic Education student in her fifties. She has to take a bus (and transfer) in order to come to class. She has made steady progress in Reading and Math over the last two years. Without our class, Cheryl would have remained illiterate.