For many immigrants in the U.S. learning the English language is one of their major obstacles. Their lack of English language skills hampers their very existence in their new country, preventing them from enjoying their new life and exercising their rights, including access to basic services. Still, there are many others who have triumphed over this obstacle, to the extent of being able to speak in front of a large audience, as what the immigrants in Roslindale, Boston demonstrated recently.
English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) Student Recognition Day in Roslindale was held last week and several immigrants presented their triumphs and life stories in front of a roomful of people at the Roslindale library. They all spoke in English, showing how much they have mastered the language.
West Roxbury resident Tram Nguyen talked about her life in South Vietnam until 1975, when Saigon fell. During their attempt to flee, her husband was caught by the North Vietnamese and sent to a re-education camp. He was released only in 1981. They managed to come to the United States in 1992. Her children excelled in school, which made her realize that she, too had a dream, which was to learn the language. During her speech her youngest son Kha Ho, 23 and a graduate of UMass-Amherst, watched her. He said he was very impressed with his mother’s determination to realize her dream.
Teachers Tim Lamb and Herbert Britton said that their students give them an energy boost. They feel rewarded for being able to help their students from other cultures.
State Rep. Liz Malia joined the ceremony to award the recognition certificates to the students. She told them that they are more courageous than most people who were born in the U.S., impressed by their strong will to be fluent in English.
Afterwards the state representative said that she recommended to keep the language program funds in the budget. She added that it costs less to fund the language programs instead of having the immigrants dependent on the aid programs available from the city, state and federal governments for people who do not learn the language and assimilate the American culture.
Most of the awards were handed out to current English learners, but one former student, Luzmar Centeno, was also presented with a certificate. It was given to her by the program coordinator for the ABCD South Side Head Start Adult ESOL Program, Lisa Garrone who said she wanted to show the new students what they could achieve.
Centeno, a Venezuelan, came to the U.S. in 2001. She did not want to leave the program but Garrone urged her to pursue her goals. After she left the program, she worked as an accounting supervisor and as a photographer.
Eileen Gorman, a retired Boston Public Schools teacher was also given recognition. After retirement, she volunteered to teach at Casserly House in Roslindale, where she taught for more than nine years. Ms. Gorman said that she learned so much from her students in the same way that they learned a lot from her and suggested that it’s a step to world peace when you work with U.S. immigrants.
Image Copyright: Roslindale’s Adams Park from Roslindale Main Street website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+
LinkedIn
Email