Latishah has lived in the United States for two years.  She moved here from Liberia with a few family members.  She decided her limited English skills were not sufficient for the life she imagined having in the USA.  The classes offered through UDCOC have allowed her to communicate with neighbors, make friends, and persue job opportunities.  Thanks to your gift, David, she is well on her way to learning the language and creating her new life here in PA. Thank you!

Thanks to your gift, Adebe has recently joined our ELL class.  Adebe is from Ethiopia, and he currently works at a local market here in Upper Darby, PA, where there is only a limited amount of English spoken.  Although he has taken an ELL course before, he hopes this opportunity will help him to build a stronger vocabulary and learn useful phrases for day to day living.  His main goal is to improve his English so that he can find a better job to support his family.  His wife and their two friends also attend the class, which is focused on questions, listening, cooperative learning, and problem solving.  Adebe, his wife, and their friends are all very thankful that the classes are in a location where they feel safe.  Thank you so much Chris and Emily for giving Adebe such an important gift!

Damian is from Mexico and he lives in Upper Darby with his two daughters.  In his 40’s, Damian is well spoken and kind hearted.  He is very thankful to be able to attend an EEL class thanks to your generous gift.

Damian repairs electronics for a living.  The Focused Listening exercises are a big help as he must communicate with English speaking clients when they are explaining the problems with their products. The classes are quickly filling in the gaps in Damian’s English skills, and it is obvious that his self confidence is growing everyday.  Damian has the potential to become a very successful businessman.  Thanks so much for your gift, Phillip!

Madam B comes from an Arabic speaking country. A widow, she is new to the United States and lives with her son, daughter-in-law, and their three school aged children. As a beginning English Language student she has developed a small vocabulary of words for everyday greetings and can now follow simple reading books with her first grade grandchild.

Before her classes, a walk down the street for Madam B was a solitary activity. Now she walks down the street, goes to the store, and is able to greet her neighbors. She very much enjoys time with her grandchildren and actually knows the words in their story books.

A window in a new world has opened and she can actually enjoy living in her new world. Thank you so much Tom for helping support Madam B in learning English!

Sheila is a fifth grade student who came to our After School Program every day in frustration…mostly after a difficult day with math. One of her teachers mentioned she struggled with complex math concepts but lacked motivation as well. At the after school program Sheila was given one on one support with a certified teacher. Her frustration decreased and she was able to do her homework independently. After School Blast provided the setting for this to happen..and make a difference for Sheila.

Thank you ensuring Sheila will have after school help for a full academic year!