Maria reading to her son, Ivan.
After getting married and becoming pregnant with her first child at age 15, Maria and her husband moved to Belle Glade in 2009. Maria got a job in agriculture, planting celery, cleaning and wrapping lettuce, and weeding fields. Working in the fields and not having the English skills she needed to find a less labor-intensive job was frustrating for Maria. She often felt that she was being taken advantage of because she didn’t understand English.
A co-worker told Maria about the Glades Family Education Program and she enrolled with her daughter, Sherlyn, who was three years old. For two years, Maria and Sherlyn studied together. Maria’s English improved tremendously and her daughter excelled. When Sherlyn graduated from the preschool class, she was well-prepared to enter kindergarten. Maria said, “I was so happy when Sherlyn started kindergarten. She already knew everything and nothing was too difficult for her.” Sherlyn is now eight years old, and every year in school she receives academic recognition.
When Maria’s son, Ivan, turned three, she knew that she wanted to return to school. She wanted to continue to improve her English skills and she wanted Ivan to be as well-prepared and successful academically as her daughter has been. Maria especially enjoys the weekly PACT (Parent and Child Together) time, when she can see Ivan’s participation in school and gain skills to continue to support his learning at home.
Maria is excited about her own increasing language skills, too. After a kitchen accident left her hands badly burned, Maria was grateful to have the English language skills she needed to communicate with her doctors. She says she is confident and brave now. She is no longer afraid to go shopping or attend meetings at her daughter’s school.
As her English continues to improve, Maria’s goal is to become a US citizen. She has already begun taking citizenship classes as an afternoon elective at Glades Family Education. She said, “Now I can understand and I think I’m ready!”
