Center Strives to Provide English Education
Coming to a foreign country without speaking the language or knowing the customs can be a daunting experience, but that’s exactly why the English Language Center of Cache Valley, Inc. was created 10 years ago.
Co-directors Katie Jensen and Ronda Kingsford both said they began to the nonprofit program in order to provide personal help for those who are unfamiliar to the area and the English language.
From beginning to advanced courses split up into four levels, Jensen said the center provides an opportunity for everyone to get the skills they need to be an American citizen. There is also a family literacy program that enables parents and children to learn together.
Jensen said when prospective students first visit the center, they are given a skills test to see what level they are at and given advice about which class to enroll in. Jensen said the classes are cheap, just $25 per quarter, and the hours are flexible in order to accommodate busy schedules.
As Jensen explained the program Thursday, three women walked in the front door and were immediately greeted with hugs and smiles, a testament to the friendly atmosphere Jensen and Kingsford said they are trying to create.
“We like hugs here,” Jensen said, smiling.
Jensen said they teach from both textbooks approved by the state and from hands-on learning experiences. And Kingsford said they don’t just teach a language, but they teach life skills needed to survive in a new country.
As part of the class curriculum, Kingsford said students are taken to the grocery store to practice the new language they are learning and to the library to get a library card.
Jensen the program is really an English immersion program. Since a lot of people have worked all day before they come in, she said she tries to plan fun activities and music to keep things “hopping.” She also said the environment at the center helps foster learning and friendships that continue for years.
“The reason we have been so successful is because people feel comfortable,” Jensen said.
That comfort, Jensen said, is the reason students are able to reach out to each other and build lasting friendships.
“We will have a professor from China interacting with a farm worker from South America,” Jensen said. “A lot of people are getting over their fears and coming together.”
Jensen said the road to beginning the center has been a tough one, but thanks to support from volunteers and a dedication to her work, it is thriving. Many USU students have helped, and Jensen said they find it really rewarding.
From returned LDS missionaries who want to brush up on their language skills to education majors looking for teaching opportunities, Jensen said the volunteers are an essential part of the center.
Jensen said it is through the help of both the community and school districts that the center has been able to flourish and provide opportunities for so many people in Cache Valley. The center has even extended branches in Hyrum and Richmond. Although they only offer the beginning courses, Jensen said the key is to make people in rural areas comfortable and bring education to them.
Although she said she didn’t have any idea what she was getting into when the center began, Jensen said it has been an amazing journey.
“It’s the most rewarding thing in the world,” Jensen said. “It changes people’s lives to see they can learn.”
Jensen recounted the story of one family who came to Cache Valley from Ethiopia. Jensen said they had eight kids but were forced to leave one behind because the girl was considered legal adult age.
“The father knew no English and was not literate in his own language,” Jensen said. “Him and his wife came to classes every night, learned English and got their citizenship so that their daughter could come be reunited with them.”
Jensen said one lady even called her from the hospital overjoyed because she could finally understand what the doctors were saying to her.
Although Jensen said most people’s experiences are not so dramatic, almost every day she has someone come in whose life has been altered by the education they received at the center.
Not only is the center helping people learn English and integrate into American culture, but Jensen said because of the English skills acquired at the center, many students have gotten better jobs or raises for being fluent in English.
The center celebrated it’s 10th anniversary last week, and although it has come along way since it started, Jensen said it is always in need of donations to help.
“When we started, we had no bathrooms, no ceilings, a card table and two chairs,” Jensen said. “We prayed a lot and wrote for donations. The response has been astounding.”
Jensen said the center is planning fund-raisers for next year and that individual donations are always accepted and greatly appreciated.
Classes begin Jan. 7, but Jensen said students are still welcome to register. For more information, call 750-6534.
-amandam@aggiemail.usu.edu