Elena Zinchenko is our star ESOL student this year! A 35-year-old woman from southern Russia, she came to us in 2008 as a Low Beginner. In six years she has attended 450 hours of instruction through the Literacy Council – with individual tutors and in small groups- while also attending ESL classes at AB Tech.
Jesus, Alma’s eldest son, arrived second. A gentle soul, he quietly completed intake testing with his tutor, Mary Miller. Just the mention of his name brings a smile to her face. She says, “Jesus enjoys all the aspects of the Augustine Project® lessons. He loves the phonics games and is quick to laugh. He is a curious learner.”
The Augustine Project helps many children each year get the skills they need to succeed. Volunteers with the Augustine Project make a real difference in the lives of real people.
The bond between a tutor and student can grow very strong- and sometimes stretch for thousands of miles. ESOL tutor Steve Hopkins recently traveled to Mexico with his wife, and spent a day with the family of his LCBC student, Dulce Rivera. Steve and Dulce have been working together for over four years to improve Dulce’s English and to enable her to support her children’s education. Steve has become very close with Dulce and the children, and has often helped them with their homework in addition to tutoring Dulce.