On Thursday, May 8, ESL students from Jefferson Adult School visited the ELI for a campus field trip. For many, this was the first time that any of these students had been on a college campus. Although they may be months or more from their decision to attend, their ESL teacher Francisca Wentworth was committed to instilling a vision of a college pathway to careers.
“Our students need to be able to see what is possible for them, and visiting the college is the best way to do that,” said Wentworth.
This field trip was the culmination of several activities planned through a Silicon Valley Foundation grant written specifically to create more pathways between Jefferson Adult ESL and Skyline College ESOL. Events preceding this field trip have included a faculty textbook retreat and discussion, faculty class visits, and a series of workshops conducted by counselor Lavinia Zanassi and ESOL faculty Leigh Anne Shaw.
Chris Rico met the students and brought them to the Career Services Center, where Lavinia Zanassi presented information on careers. Florentino Ubungen met the students there and took them on a comprehensive tour of Skyline, featuring many of the CTE programs. The students finished at the ELI for a Q & A session before departing the campus.
The students were excited at the idea of someday joining their former classmates who have moved from Adult School into Skyline ESOL classes. It was an incredibly inspiring day for students who previously had never considered a college education as part of their immediate future.
Article by Leigh Anne Shaw
