11 Nov Adult Education Student Spotlight: Meet Melina, Aracely & Erika
The Alliance is proud to offer Adult Education classes for Houstonians looking to advance their English skills and get closer to reaching their career and life goals. We’re excited to share the stories of three of our amazing students: Melina, Aracely, and Erika.
To help us support more students in the community, please consider making a donation today.
Melina’s Story
Melina Hernandez is a 19-year-old young woman with dreams of becoming a nurse. When she became a mom at 17, she worried the odds were against her to reach her dream. Still, Melina believed if she continued her education, she could create a better life for herself and her family.
Melina enrolled in The Alliance’s Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) program to do just that. Melina was a determined student. She completed all her assignments and participated in activities, all while earning her GED at the same time. With our support, she was proud to pass the state licensing exam to become a CNA. Melina secured a job at Memorial Hermann Hospital, which fulfilled her long-time goal of working in a hospital. She is now continuing her education at Lone Star College to achieve her dreams of becoming a nurse.
We are so proud of Melina for her hard work and achievements!
Aracely’s Story
“The program is excellent and the teacher is very professional and patient. I learned a lot in this time that reinforced my language skills. I am already self-employed and now have the opportunity to help others find jobs. Thank you so much.” – Aracely Casco, ESL student
Aracely Casco came to the United States from Honduras with hopes of finding employment and creating a better future for herself. Along her journey, Aracely realized she needed to perfect her English skills in order to maximize the opportunities she could find here. To reach her goal, she decided to enroll in The Alliance’s Adult Education and Training program. Under the guidance of her English as a Second Language Instructor Mirza Baig, Aracely was able to improve her English and has now started her own housekeeping business where she provides job opportunities for others. The Alliance is very proud of Aracely’s achievements and congratulates her on all of her success.
Erika’s Story
Erika Carrillo came to the United States with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and planned to learn #English when she arrived. But after finding work, getting married, and starting a family, learning a new language became a less urgent matter in her life. Now that Erika’s children are older, Erika decided to re-enroll in English so she could be more actively engaged in her children’s education, help them with homework problems and be fully present for important milestones in whatever language they may come – Spanish or English.
Erika enrolled in our ESL classes earlier this year, and she’s been able to continue her learning through the pandemic by participating in our virtual classes. Erika has continued to improve her language skills and says her virtual learning experience has been excellent, with classes feeling as productive as if they were face-to-face.
Erika would like to encourage others that it is never too late to learn a new language or skill. Her experience has taught her it doesn’t matter how old or young you are, or how long you have been in the U.S., there is always an opportunity to learn. She also wants to encourage those who have begun their learning experience to not give up, reminding us that progress is different for everyone and that even learning one word means you’re on the right track.
The Alliance is incredibly proud of the progress Erika has made and is very excited for all the moments she’ll share with her children, in Spanish as well as English.
Learn more about our Adult Education classes at www.thealliancetx.org/adult-education-and-training.
Donate: Join us in supporting more residents by making a donation today at alliance.kindful.com.