Stone Soup 2019

2019

PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT ADULT EDUCATION

STONE SOUP

@PikesPeakLibraryDistrict

@ppld

@pikespeaklibrarydistrict

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To the Reader We hope you enjoy the 23rd edition of Stone Soup, published by the Adult Education Department of Pikes Peak Library District. These stories are written by adult participants and volunteers. They are offered as submitted.

2019 Adult Education Staff: Teona Shainidze Krebs, Public Services Officer Tammy Sayles, Director of Adult Education Lacey Miller, Library Instruction Designer Rachel Snellgrove, Adult Education Manager (2020) Scott Maxon, Adult Education Supervisor (2019) Deya Rohe, Adult Education Admin Specialist Michael Bittner, HSE and ABE Instructor Kyle Beargeon, ESL Instructor Vicki Johnson, ESL Instructor

STONE SOUP 2019

This publication is based on the folktale Stone Soup.

Travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food with the hungry travelers. The travelers go to a stream and fill their pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks them what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making stone soup, which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor, which they are missing. The villager does not mind parting with a few carrots to help them out, so that gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) One by one, each student, volunteer, and employee adds to the success of Pikes Peak Library District’s Adult Education Program.

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Pikes Peak Library District’s Adult Education provides the following services: English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to improve English language proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes assist students in preparing for our High School Equivalency (HSE) classes by reviewing and mastering basic skills in both math and language.

High School Equivalency (HSE) classes to provide basic skills and selfconfidence to pass the GED, TASC or HiSET exams, obtain or improve employment, and/or begin college.

Career Online High School (COHS) is an online high school diploma and career certification program funded through Pikes Peak Library District.

Residents living within the library district’s service area who have completed eighth grade and are 17-years-old or older are eligible to apply for scholarships.

STONE SOUP 2019

PPLD provides a variety of Volunteer Facilitated Groups, and with the critical support of our dedicated volunteers, we help empower an adult learner to reach their full potential to participate in our society: •

Class assistants are volunteers that build strong relationships with students, and help instructors with tasks during class time.

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Speak English groups provide informal conversation sessions for adults with intermediate or advanced English language skills.

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Write English groups help ESL students to improve all English skills, and write for different purposes in a small group environment.

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One-on-One tutor pairs meet once a week for two hours at a library location and work on different skills such as reading, writing and other literacy struggles the student needs to overcome.

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Path to Citizenship is for those individuals that need help to get prepared for the citizenship test, and become Naturalized Citizens.

Digital Literacy. Library staff and volunteers help adults gain the basic computer skills they need to survive and thrive in today's digital world and workplace.

Food Industry Training Program. Pikes Peak Library District offers a fourweek training program that provides the skills necessary to enter or advance in employment as a qualified prep cook or line cook.

Additional information is on ppld.org/adult-education.

“Literacy …

An individual’s ability to read, write, and speak English…at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential.”

National Literacy Act of 1991 5

ESL Program PPLD offers a variety of ESL classes to individuals in El Paso County and serves roughly 200 English language learners a year. Our ESL classes offer a diverse cultural experience for all who participate. Students come from all over the world and speak very different first languages, but they all have something in common: they are all here to learn English. One of the strongest assets of our program is the sense of community built in ESL classes. In addition, classes provide an encouraging and supportive environment to learners to improve their skills and build their confidence, which in effect, will help them succeed in all areas of life. The following stories represent the motivated individuals currently in our ESL classes at PPLD.

STONE SOUP 2019

By Kyle - ESL Instructor For the last four years, I have taught ESL at Pikes Peak Library District. I am not a Colorado native. I am an immigrant from the Midwest. I came here for the same reasons as everyone else: for a better life and more opportunities. I got into teaching later in life. I didn’t teach my first class until I was 29. I wasn’t even planning to study education. It was my plan B. I initially had hoped to get into Biomedical Illustration at the University of Chicago, but that wasn’t in the cards which I was dealt. And I am so grateful!

Teaching, for me, has always been about connecting the unconnected, which is not that different than art: connecting with the material, connecting with the community, and perhaps most importantly, connecting with each other. It has been an amazing experience to learn from people from all over the world.

Every day, my students teach me about their culture, their language, and their dreams. Every day, I get to witness courage and vulnerability, and I am honored you all felt comfortable enough to share that with me. It’s actually quite inspiring.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

By Vicki - ESL Instructor Working for this program has been a true delight. Our students come from all over the world and are glad to share their life stories and experiences with us as they put forth great effort to improve their language skills living in a new land. They are hard-working, sincere, thoughtful, and generous.

To our dear students: You are an inspiration to everyone around you! We are so glad you came to this nation and that we have the privilege of knowing you through this ESL program. You are making amazing progress. Keep reaching for your goals!

Also, thank you to our fabulous volunteers who devote their time, energy, and care to our classes. Your contributions are immeasurable and we appreciate you more than you know!

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By John Scott - Sand Creek ESL Class Assistant As a child, growing up in a bilingual and bicultural family had its challenges. I learned to see things from different viewpoints. I have also travelled in foreign countries and saw how strangers were willing to help me when I was brave and tried to speak their language. With this understanding, I have the patience to help ESL students to reach their goals. Everyone wants to be able to speak, understand, read and write more English. This is possible with small steps, guided by talented teachers and well motivated students! As a volunteer, I enjoy seeing each student make progress while we laugh along the way ;-) Thank you for this privilege!

By Kenia Holidays in Belgium compared to Colorado I have had my last fifteen Christmas holidays in Belgium, which was very nice.

There are a lot of Christmas markets in many cities and countries. On the 5th of December, we decorate the house and Christmas tree because the 6th is the day of Saint Nicolas. It is a very important celebration especially for children, so they receive gifts, chocolate, and mandarins. During the month of December, we go to Christmas markets. We drink hot wine with tartiflette and for the children, hot chocolate with waffles. I like the biggest Christmas market in Belgium in Liege; I love it! For this period, we eat raclette which is a typical food with potatoes and cheese.

We arrived in Colorado on the 6th of November, so we had different holidays, and our belongings arrived on the 17th of December. I didn’t have time to prepare almost anything for Christmas because I was so busy opening the boxes and putting everything in place. I went to the Christmas market in Denver, but I felt sad because it was so different than Europe. It was very small and also it’s colder than in Belgium.

We didn’t buy or eat anything. Finally, we put the Christmas tree up on the 23rd of December. For Christmas day, we made the raclette at home with Belgium beer. We invited two friends, and had a nice time.

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By Thuy Dream to help My name is Thuy. I come from Vietnam. I have been here for two months. I still haven’t adapted to the climate, culture, life, language, customs, and traditions in America. The weaterher is so cold in comparision to Viet Nam. So my motivation is to study English hard to take a drivers license and find a better job. The first thing I have to listen and undersand the language. In order to do that, I need try a lot of such as read newspaper, watch TV, and make friends to practice English together everyday. I think Ill improve English quickly. I also don’t worry about English tuition because the library helps me. The second thing, I need to find a temporary job to pay living expenses monthly for myself. My dream goal is to earn a lot of money to buy a house with my parents and brother. Then I can live with them together. They sacrificed so much for me. I’m very grateful to them.

Therefore, I want to give my parents a better life when they retire. I’ll save a lot of money and they can travel around the world and buy what they they want. That would make me happy. Then I want to return to visit my relatives and marry my long time boyfriend in Vietnam. Finally, I want to help my family through hardship.

I see a lot of people in poverty, and that makes me sad. I’m not richer than them, but I can still have my family and something to eat but they don’t. Later I hope to become a volunteer and go to places where they need my help.

By Da Woon When I first came to Colorado from Korea, I was often embarrassed by misunderstandings in communication. I asked a guy for the time once, but got confused and asked how much and gestured to a wrist watch. The man turned red and walked away. I though how rude Americans are. I didn’t know I asked the wrong question until my friend told me later. My family motivates me and they give me courage. Everyday it takes courage. Someday, I want to create a YouTube channel to teach English, so I can give other people courage to do the same.

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By Merced Life-long Learning I feel frustrated when I can’t understand a native English speaker. They speak so fast. I would like to find the key to how understand them better. My family, my community motivates me to keep learning. I am grateful to have the support of my teachers and the volunteers who put in the effort to help us. They also motivate me more to continue to achieve my goal. My biggest dream to communicate with my grandchildren. They speak more English than Spanish at home now, and it is hard to be a quiet grandpa because I’m not a quiet person when I speak Spanish. I’m funny and have really good advice.

By Alba Country of Peace Costa Rica is located in Central America, between Panama and Nicaragua.

It is a very small country with a population of five million people. The country is divided into two sides: the Pacific side, know for its stunning beaches, and the Caribbean side, know for more of its rainforest. And I have seen both.

Also, Costa Rica have many natural attractions, for example many beaches, volcanoes, mountains, hot springs, forests, and exotic wildlife. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world with white sand and conch shells. We also have many cloud forests. A cloud forest is when a forest with a lot of moisture holds onto low level clouds, so it looks as if the trees have clouds instead of leaves! There are more than a half million animal and plant species, which is about 4 percent of world’s flora and fauna. The country is a biogeographical bridge bursting with life and natural wonders. You can see many monkeys, frogs, crocidiles, ocelots, toucans, coatis, iguanas, lizards, slothes, and many more kinds of animals. One of the most important aspects of Costa Rica is that this country hasn’t had an army for 70 years. It has been a peaceful place since.

Costa Ricans are friendly and they really enjoy meeting people from different cultural backgrounds. Costa Rica is a great destination for several different adventures. Visitors enjoy horseback riding, kayaking, or surfing, etc. Also you can enjoy the blue water of the beaches and the surreal pik, orange, and purple sunsets. We watch sunsets for entertainment instead of TV. I would like to invite you to visit Costa Rica! Welcome!

STONE SOUP 2019

Anonymous Dream goals at different ages.

People always have dreams and try to reach them. It is called a dream goal.

Sometimes people dream but never get their goals. To get a goal depends on family and environment.

When kids are in preschool or elementary school, they have many dreams. Boys dream to become superheroes, firefighters, police officers or astronauts. Girls’ dreams are different; they want to be princesses, ballerinas or excellent moms. Kids play according their dreams.

Teenagers’ dreams are depending on where they live, study or their family.

Parents must be careful with their teenager’s friends. Sometimes they are a bad influence on their decisions. There are good students that want to go to college or practice their favorite sports because they would like to be professionals and get their dream goals. For example, they would like to become doctors, lawyers, professional sportsmen or famous artists and make a lot of money. However, some students prefer to leave their school and parents. They want to be free and do whatever they want. They do not think in the consequences. At that, time is better to have a good communication with teenagers and teach them that if they have dreams, they must try to get their goals. Parents and teachers can help them, but if they cannot help, there are programs with specialist doctors who can help them.

Adult dream goals are to have a good job, a big house and a new car. Some parents want their sons or daughters get dream goals they could not reach.

For example if a father wanted to be a doctor, architect or engineer and he couldn’t become, he will try to push his son or daughter to study that, even though he or she doesn’t want to.

On the other hand, seniors’ dream goals are completely different. They dream to have grandchildren, good health, money to travel, and family and friends who enjoy their reminisce.

I think that everybody can dream but not always get their goals. To reach our goals depend on how brave we are. At any age, we can dream and try to get our goals.

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By Carlos Fear of Being Forgotten Maria took my job from me in Puerto Rico. Maria is not a person but a hurricane. The pass of the hurricane destroyed all with no water, electricity, and money. For my kids it was my responsibility to apply in different places for work and nothing. In a desperate situation, we decided that I would move to Colorado for new opportunities, new life, and very important, a new job. I remember when I started here. It was hard for me. My English was not good, and I was broke - only 275 dollars.

My family are still on the island, and I am here working to support them – my wife and children. When PR is stable again, I will return home to my heart, my family. I have been here for over two years now, and I haven’t been back to visit since. When I got here, I had my first job in 7 days, and in 14 days, I moved to my actual company starting down in the production area.

Later, they moved me to do heavy work for 9 hours a day, and later, another opportunity opened to drive the pallet jack. Six months more a big opportunity for me apply in maintenance and accept my position in perfect time. I don’t understand when people say they can’t find work. I advanced in my job and my personal life in 4 month living alone, and in 6 months, I had my first car but all that is secondary because my main reason was to come here to be able to help my children who are in PR, who depend on me. I have my stability and body in Colorado, but my thoughts and my heart in Puerto Rico. I visit my family soon, and I only hope that my children didn’t forget who I am.

STONE SOUP 2019

By Mira Seollal: The Korean Lunar New Year Seollal is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is one of Korea’s biggest traditional holidays. On Seallal, most Koreans go to their hometown to spend time with their families. We wear traditional Korean clothes called Hanbok.

Then we hold ceremonies for our ancestors. We bow down until our heads almost touch the floor. We bow twice for our deceased ancestors. After the ceremonies, we eat “tteok-guk” which is tradition. It is made of sliced rice cake, beef, eggs, etc. The white rice cake in the soup symbolize a clean start for the new year. The round shape stand for the coin and wealth. When Koreans eat it, we become one year wiser and older. Next, children perform “Sebae,” a formal bow or greeting of respect to their parents. They bow down once until their heads almost touch the floor. They bow once for the still living.

They usually receive a gift from their parents. We also play a boardgame called “Yut-nori.” Finally, we visit our ancestors’ graves.

Interestingly, Koreans use the solar calendar for some things, and the lunar calendar for others. The new year started on January 25th this year.

By Manuela Misunderstanding & Hunger In my culture, breakfast is the principal meal of the day. You haven’t eaten in a long time, and you will need protein and carbs to recover your strength. The first two days I arrived at the house where I live. I am taking care of children for a nice family, and I am here in an exchange program. I live with the family while I am here, and I get to study English. Well, the family asked me if I had already had breakfast. I enthusiastically said yes. But I thought they asked if I wanted breakfast. I didn’t eat for two days! I felt so stupid. I thought to myself, what happened to my breakfast?! I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to admit my mistake. Now I am adapting to a culture that eats a heavy meal at night before bed, and later that night I was happy to adapt because I was starving.

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By Maribel I came from Mexico. I have been in Colorado Springs for 20 years. I have been working for six years at the Hilton Hotel. I like my job. I broke my shoulder so today I am a homemaker for all my children who are finished studying and are working. I am happy that my husband and I own our house. My daughter is a realtor. She helped her brothers buy their houses.

My husband and my children and I like to live in Colorado Springs. I like its landscapes and the mountains but I miss my country.

By Joanna Hi, my name is Joanna. I’m from Poland. I came to Colorado Springs on December 21, 2019. It is a very nice place. I study in the ESL class because sometimes I don’t understand what people are saying and I couldn’t have good communication with others. English language is very important to me because I will find a better job and I will feel good between people.

By Lizbeth I’m proudly Mexican, I’m 23 years old, I’m a nurse, and I have an amazing family. I came to the US as an Au pair. It’s a great program for young people, I have a good host family, but when I finish my time as an Au pair and when I have a good English level, I will go back to Mexico to be with my family, and I will get a great job as a nurse and I will help some people. That is my goal.

By Nouf My name is Nouf. I am from Saudi Arabia. I was born in Riyadh. I am a housewife. I have three children, one girl and two boys. My daughter’s name is Hissah and my sons names are Fahad and Mohammed. I have five brothers and five sisters. Every day I go to gym, watch TV, and have coffee with my family. I love to travel and also I love shopping. I like cooking and baking. We came to Colorado in January 2016. We came to Colorado to educate ourselves to study English. Also, Colorado is the best place I have been in because of the amazing view of the mountains and the beautiful nature.

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By Dolores I’m from Durango, Mexico. I have been here for 32 years. I lived in El Paso, TX for 20 years and I moved to Colorado 12 years ago. Now I’m happy because I have the opportunity to study English.

I have a son. He was born in EL Paso, TX. He now studies in community college. My husband is a truck driver.

My future goal is to learn English and get my GED. And I need to communicate with the people.

By Francisco I am Peruvian but now I am an American because I am a naturalized citizen. I am very happy. In this school, I am the youngest in this classroom. Just joking!

By Hermelinda I remember when I was 7 years old, every year we celebrated my grandpa's birthday. It was a special party. We all got together and sang. Every single grandchild composed a special song for our grandfather and our grandmother.

My grandparents danced all night long and enjoyed good food.

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By Irina and Kamill We are Irina and Kamill. We are from Russia. Our city is Kazan. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan Republic. Kazan is a big city with many sport objects. We have two daughters: Dina and Katia. We have six grandchildren -- 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 13 years old. Three grandchildren live in Russia, three grandchildren live in USA. We are here learning English. We dream to speak, write, read, and understand English.

We like to live in America. We hope to buy a home in Colorado and to live, to work, and to travel around America.

By Maria I am Maria. I'm from Durango, Mexico. I study ESL class for my children. I do not speak English. Is difficult the communication for my little boy I need learn speak English. Is necessary for communication for this country. My daughter is speak Spanish and English but my boy only English so is difficult for him speak in Spanish.

But in the future I can look for a job with my English class and thanks to my teachers for their patience. Thank you.

STONE SOUP 2019

By Arlette I am originally from Mexico. I come to the US 15 years ago with my family for more opportunities. Now I study in this ESL class in the library. It is amazing.

In my English classes I met nice and good teachers. My future goal is to get my GED.

By George and Tatiana We are from Russia. We lived in Novosibirsk and worked as teachers in school. We have one daughter. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband. They told us, "Come with us." We came to Colorado Springs in 2018 year. We are studying English because we want to speak English very well and communicate with native speakers. We go to study English language at library. Our English not good and this class helps us to understand and speak English. Our teacher Vicki and volunteers support and help us to overcome difficulties in our studies. Our teacher is very professional and friendly.

Thanks a lot all the teachers and volunteers who help us in our studies.

We like Colorado Springs very much.

By Leidy I am Leidy. I'm from Colombia. I have two children, a boy of 20 years and a girl of 5 years. I'm married. They are everything in my life.

My family and I move in different states: Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma.

This is for the husband work. Now live here two years in Colorado. We are very happy.

My future goal is to speak English fluently and have more opportunities and other goal is continue to travel with my family and sharing more and more moments together.

By Jose My name is Jose. I'm from Spain. I came to US two months ago. I have a daughter. I am a painter. I want to learn English to find a good job. Thank you.

By Tino I'm from Mexico. I like my class. I hope to learn more English to find a better job and help my family.

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By Luz Elena I'm from Leon Guanajuato, Mexico. I have lived in Colorado Springs for 14 years. When I was 20 years old, my dream was to come to USA because I wanted to have a better life. My family is big. I have five sisters, three brothers, and my parents. Always we live well but sometimes with some lacks. Now all my brothers and sisters have their families, and me too. I always thought that life here was going to be better and sometimes it is, but being away from your family is difficult. But now my children make me strong, and I want to be a better person and be able to study something to be a good example for them. My first step is learn English very well and then study something but I don't know what.

By Graciela I come from Costa Rica. I'm studying English because I need to be able to communicate with people in my job and in the future to get another better job.

Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical country that has several volcanoes, seven cities, its population is five million, it hasn't army, its people are very kind, and it has wonderful beaches.

By Paty I'm from Mexico. I've been here for 20 years. I'm a student at PPLD program.

I like teachers because they help me and they teach very well. Thanks Vicki, Rukhsana, and Kyle. I'm married and I have three children. My goal is in the future get my GED for more opportunities in this country.

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By Paul "Unforgettable English Classes" Studying English is a precious and valuable time in the twilight of my life. The meeting with colleagues who come from various countries is a very wonderful experience I had. In particular, the teachers I met in class are very precious and respectable persons. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who enthusiastically prepare learning materials, who are very seriously teaching, and who are very friendly in their conversation and always teaching in class with a smile. In particular, I respect and love my teachers for a wide variety of teachings, including American culture, history, art, national parks, artists, writers, and poets. We called him "Living and Moving Encyclopedia".

My life in Colorado Springs has been a driving force for my unforgettable memories, happiness, and new American life. By Paul Jeong from S. Korea.

By Fang Hello. My name is Fang. I am from China. I have lived in the United States three years. I’m studying ESL in the library now because I need to have a driving license. In the USA not driving license you’re disabled.

By Diego Hi everybody, my name is Diego. I am from a little village in Zacatecas in the northeast of Mexico.

I like to play music because in my birthplace, traditional people play some instrument. I play the bajosexto which looks like a regular guitar but with 12 strings. Where I come from, 80% of the men are musicians. I like to play music because I feel relaxed and it brings me memories when I play. I remember like 13 years ago, one time all the musicians of my village played together. It was heard very beautiful.

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By Woisook I’m 59 years old and I’m from Korea. My name is Woisook Nam. I’ve been here 10 months. I majored in early childhood education in Korea and until I came here I worked as a Kindergarten director of disabled children.

I want to learn English so hard that I can get my first green card renewed, my second international driver’s license, and thirdly take care of a Korean school teacher or a Korean senior.

Why do I want to have a job because I want to have a lot of money or win a lucky lotto and invite my friends in Korea for free.

I would like to tour Colorado.

My dream is to be made.

By Martha My goal is citizen of this country to be a party to be able to vote for the President, to have more opportunities for better work, to learn in the English, to build more with people, and to be a member of this country for the welfare of my family.

By Seila My name Seila. I’m from Cambodia. I live in Colorado 2.5 years. My English was very poor. It always was a problem when somebody ask me a question. I did not understand anything but in order to be polite I replied with a big smile and said, “No, thank you.”

My goals: I want to complete a collect, to have my business for my own self, to open a donut shop outside state. But nowadays I completed my goal last year. I buy my truck for my husband and I can speak English better with my team at work. I learn from them at work, I help my parents have business in my country.

A celebration: Cambodian Khmer New Year is Tuesday, April 14 to Thursday, April 16. It is the name of the Cambodian holiday that celebrates the traditional lunar year. Cambodian people have many holidays during the year. The dates of Khmer New Year coincide with the end of the harvesting season. It is a precious time for Cambodian people together with family, friends, and their community. It is celebrated throughout Cambodia and rooted in Buddhist tradition.

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By Eti My name is Eti. I am from Bangladesh. I am 21 years old. My father and mother are in Bangladesh. My brother and sister are in Texas. I moved here for new opportunities and learning English. My great dream is to be able to learn English well. I am happy that there are places like the library.

By Francisco I’m from Mexico. I arrived here 7 years ago looking for new opportunities.

Now I know a job which is drywall. I have many dreams to fulfill but need to learn English to achieve them. One of them is to become a citizen. Another is to open a company.

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By Misaela I am Misaela Alejandra Balboa Sempertegui, I am 45 years old, I was born on September 20, 1974 in the city of La Paz-Bolivia. My mother's name was Mirtha Soledad Sempertegui (+), I have a brother who is 47 years old and he is a Physician.

I lost my mother at 9, she died on December 30, 1983, we never knew she died, when my mother died we went to live with my mother's third oldest sister. My aunt Melva, she has her husband (Simon) and her three children (Mauricio, Karen and Geraldine).

My brother's name is Fabricio Alvaro Asin Sempertegui, he is recognized by his father, when my mother died, my aunt's husband (Melva) had to adopt me, since as a natural daughter and when I was an orphan they were going to take me to an orphanage, That is why I now have the last name Balboa.

For a few years we lived together with my brother (Fabricio), when my brother turned 15, he was sent to live with my grandfather (Pedro). That separation made my brother and I distance ourselves but in spite of that situation I don't stop loving my brother.

I left Bachelor, I went to the University to study Social Communication but I left the Career in the 5th Semester, because I needed to work, at the age of 22 I went to live with my grandfather and my brother since he had an apartment built for two.

After entering to study Executive Secretariat, I have the profession of Executive Secretary, which helped me a lot to work in State Institutions, in one of those institutions I met a person by profession Lawyer, with whom I had a relationship and from that relationship I had a daughter (my reason for living) she is called PAOLA ANDREA MONTENEGRO BALBOA. When my daughter was born it was the most wonderful thing that God could give me, I had to face many situations for the same fact of being a single mother, unfortunately the relationship with my daughter's father was not good since he did not take over and does not take charge of responsibility as a father, so I am FATHER and MOTHER for my daughter, which led me to fight and move on in this life.

When my daughter was 7 years old I made the decision to marry a person who was a friend of years, who was with me since the seventh month of my pregnancy, which made me take that decision because it showed that he was a man who supported me and loved my daughter very much.

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On May 29, 2010 I married (Jose Luis), in that same year I expected my second child but unfortunately I lost my baby due to circumstances that the doctor could not tell me, my marriage lasted until July 2015, At that time I decided to separate since my marriage was not going well, it was a very difficult decision but I had to do it since in this life you cannot be begging for love and attention, so at the beginning of August we went to the house of My adoptive father, we stayed until January 2016.

In February 2016 we moved with my daughter to a small apartment where we lived until February 2019. I had some difficult moments, but the struggle and perseverance made me get ahead, before we divorced, we met Jose Luis to appear before the American Embassy to apply for a visa, so they granted us all three our visas. In February 2018 my divorce took place, my relationship with my ex-husband is good, he is always watching my daughter because he loves her as if she were his own daughter.

In December 2018, my daughter had the possibility to come to visit the United States (Colorado) stayed a few months at my cousin's house and went to school, at first she liked the idea of living here so I made the decision to come and start a new change in our lives, so in April 2019 I came to Colorado leaving everything behind.

Upon arriving here it was a great change and a new challenge that I had to start, by laws that govern this country my daughter had to return in May 2019 to my country, I stayed to start the change, as I lived with my cousin and they made the decision to change their status (Georgia). I had decided to go with them without thinking that at that time I was going to meet a person who won my heart.

In the month of August 2019 RON GOEN asked me to be his wife, since he did not want me to leave, I thought that request a lot since I was a little afraid to marry again, but now I do not regret it since I married a human being wonderful, grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to be happy.

For my happiness to be complete, my daughter needed to return to Colorado, she returned in November 2019 to form a family, but the happiness cannot be complete, since my daughter asked me to send her back to Bolivia, she did not like this country since they are very different customs, I still have the hope that she change her mind and decide to stay, so I have to be with that doubt until the month of May as the school ends.

This is a small summary of my life.

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By Jose I am Jose and I am from Costa Rica. I am 25 years old and I have lived in USA for four months. My country Costa Rica is so fun, nice weather, beautiful, there’s beach, mountain, great people. I worked in a refrigeration industrial company, my job was the best, I loved a lot. I am married to a wonderful woman, we have been married for one year. I had a lot of special memories in my life but the best was a vacation with my wife at a place named Manuel Antonio, it was so special.

Our wedding was a special moment. It was not big but it was great. We were so happy :-) A celebration in my country is Independence Day. I like that day, a lot of people and parties in the street, band, music, it is a crazy day but nice.

In my future I hope a good job. I hope can study and work in something I like and my wife too. I don’t know where we’ll live, can be in USA or Costa Rica or maybe Europe.

By Maria I am from Mexico!! 51 years old. I work in home. I’m married. I have three kids. My goal is learn English to speaking with other people. I come to US for better life for me and family. My hobby is walking and take care my family. But we never thought it gonna be very hard.

I miss my country, family members, culture, food.

My special memory is always on Christmas. Christmas in Mexico are very nice and fun with all family, delicious food. For us Christmas is very significant.

By Anonymous "My Dreams" I have always been very dreamy and what I ask to God most is wisdom to guide my children to be good people. They can love God and respect others.

I think the best way to guide my children to be good people is showing how to do it with my acts and words because they pay more attention to my acts instead of my words.

And my personal goal is to be prepared to get a good job and complete my English classes to get ready for study a short career but the best part is when my little ones look at me how I can learn and be better than yesterday.

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By Olha "A Special Memory" It happened five years ago, but I still remember every second, all those emotions and feelings.

I met my future husband for the first time in real life after two years of online communication. He came to visit me across countries and ocean just to meet me.

We stayed in one of the best cities of Ukraine which is Odessa.

After this visit he came to me again and again and again, it was always perfect, but the first time was unforgettable. We didn't even feel that we had huge differences in timeline (7 hours), and my English was so bad, but it's my inspiration and reason to know English better, so I am still in the process.

By Werner I am 55 years of Peruvian nationality. I have two daughters currently living with their mom in Barcelona, Spain. I travel every year to be with them.

I finished a technical career and left the university with the specialty of veterinary medicine for work reasons.

I had my own car insurance, exchange house, and taxi rental business. I came to the United States as a resident with desires of overcoming and for a good education of my daughters and be professionals. I currently work at McDonald's.

Hobbies: gym, soccer, listen to music, and travel.

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By Lamees I was born in Jerusalem West Bank, I am 36 years old, and have been here 7 years. I came here because my husband works at USA Colorado Springs at computer and Microsoft company. My husband from same country Jerusalem. He came here for working. He spent in USA 15 years. We met each other in my country, we married and came after he made paper that apply me to come to USA. The first year when I came here was too hard because I miss my family and all my life change. I have different culture and language and after 7 months I got pregnant and had a son. His name is Yousef. Now he is 5 years, he is at preschool. I am sitting at home take care to my son and I have a lot of goals.

First one learn and speak English more and more because very necessary important to contact with other people, do shopping, go to school with my son. They have a lot of meeting and talking with his teachers and I want to speak English. At future, I want to find good job. I studied at my country marketing. I don't want to only sit at home. I have a lot of goals I want to reach.

By Shi In China, people usually are drinking more water especially hot water while you are sick. If you feel a little uncomfortable but not sick, someone will still advise to drink more hot water rather that go to see a doctor. In my memories, my parents use a unique remedy "gun sha" for me. One time I had hot fever and felt not good. My mom ask me my symptom and not to bring me to see a doctor, she let me lying down on bed, then pull up top and scrape my back again and again by a small spoon. I felt painful that time, it looked like terrible marks on my back, but that's very useful for cooling down body's high temperature. When she had done it, I would take a shower and slept all night long. Next day I would be better than before. That's a magical experience to me for Chinese traditional remedy. It made a deep impression on me.

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By Anonymous

By Olga

We have a big family. We come from

I have a big family. We love

Bogota, Colombia. My husband and I

to celebrate Christmas. We

have 4 children, three of them live in

spend the evening together,

Denver. The smallest of the family is

tell different stories, and we

Sara. She lives with us. We are very

sing Christmas songs. Then

happy with my family living near in

the children open the presents.

Colorado.

When we lived in Colombia, we studied English, but I didn't practice much.

Now I have need the communicate and strive to learn more English.

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ABE/HSE Program It takes courage to come to PPLD’s Adult Education classes after leaving high school before graduating. Sometimes years have passed, and the self-doubt is overwhelming. Sometimes there is great anger or great sadness at life’s misfortunes. The stories you are about to read tell us about our students and what they’ve faced. They also tell us what hard work and hope for the future can do to change everything.

By Michael Bittner – ABE/HSE Instructor As I leave PPLD Adult Education, I reflect back and realize that some of the most encouraging comments I have received in my working career have been from grateful students. Students who had decided to finish their education and become eligible for better opportunities for themselves and their loved ones.

Students who had awakened to dreams and possibilities previously unexplored.

From teaching adults, I have learned that there are multiple, various reasons people do not finish high school, some of them being quite understandable.

Some have shared with me the unkind treatment they received from classmates, teachers, or family members. Some of them have been through hell. Unfortunately, some of them start to believe the derogatory things others say, undermining their confidence and will to succeed. I hope I contributed in some small way to overturning that belief about themselves. It is indeed a great joy to see a student realize that they are just as significant and competent as others - to see that belief become action – to see dreams become goals – to see goals become reality.

Conversely, some students admit that they were too distracted or lazy during high school, and now realize the importance of completing their education. I am happy to see them enroll in education programs. I hope I helped them see shiny things on the horizon that are worth pursuing. Things that will ultimately motivate them to change dreams into goals and goals into reality.

I just saw a former student at a stoplight yesterday, and learned she is about to finish her associates in business at PPCC. She is a single parent and struggled STONE SOUP 2019

so hard to finish her high school equivalency. She passed all her GED tests but math, got frustrated after a while and dropped. Her goal was refusing to peacefully become a reality. She had to assertively MAKE it so, and about a year later, she returned, worked very hard, and got it done! How proud of her I am - maybe I can adopt her as my daughter, even though she is grown!

So carry on you determined, believing, reality changers. It has indeed been great to be part of your second chance!

By Lydia Barclay The Reason for Getting My GED Up until December 2019, I had intentions of getting my GED. Now you might be asking yourself why? Well, years ago I went to public school 1st-10th grade. But I struggled and for that reason my mother allowed me to attend online school 11th-12th grade. I did great and I earned my High school Diploma. Fast forward 10 years. I found a job in roofing and restoration that I’m truly passionate about. With my passion in overdrive, I took that giant step and applied to Colorado Technical University to obtain my bachelor of science degree in business administration-project management. Along the way, in the process of my application, I submitted my High School Diploma. Shortly after submitting it, I found out that my diploma was not from an accredited (meaning not officially recognized) high school. I was furious! I wanted to throw in the towel and sweep this issue under the rug and never think about it again. With the love, support and encouragement of my husband and best friend I then came to realize what else could I lose? So, with the end goal of attending college, I’m moving forward in fulfilment of my GED. My ultimate end goal using that college degree I earn and move up in the company I currently work for or take it and move on to a better opportunity. But I also want to show my two boys to never give up and no matter what keep moving forward.

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By Cody Williams My GED Journey I began this journey towards my ged for several reasons. When I was younger, I got pulled from school and dropped during eighth grade. Years later, I finally decided now was the time to try to do something better with my life. I have two beautiful children and a third on the way, so I'm doing this for them as well as my own benefit. Over the years, I have been denied jobs and opportunities due to a lack of education. This has made my life somewhat difficult and frustrating, making it hard to cope with daily life.

So in my hope for a better quality of life in general, I am here, working towards something I never thought was achievable - my GED! As for now, my main goals and initiatives are pretty simple for the most part. I hope to earn my GED for a better work opportunity and for a chance to go to college at some point.

My hopes are to get into the it field, doing online security web development of some sort. It's always been a goal of mine to work with personal computers and devices, so with that being said, I hope I earn my GED soon so I can continue my journey towards bigger and better things!

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By Villayrath My purpose in life My previous education adventures have not all been exhilarating. I myself have been treated vile from classmates along with teachers. In 5th grade, I was blessed with a big chest and I didn't look like the other girls so I would get teased I felt like something was wrong with me. In middle school, I would get teased for how I dressed, but the worst of it all was from a teacher, instructor, mentor. By this time I was in high school, it was my senior year and this teacher came up to me and boldly said you aren't going to pass this class so don't bother coming in. You're going to be useless to my other students. I was twenty credits from walking and receiving my diploma. At this point, my direction was heading down the wrong path, i was bouncing from couch to couch not knowing my next move or if I was even going to have a meal to eat. I ended up in bad relationships with bad company. It was a downward spiral that was neverending. Reality hit when I wanted to go to sleep and not wake up. My life had no purpose because of the people I surrounded myself with.

With all the obstacles/barriers I went through it led me to where I am today. I met and married my best friend, this year will mark our 10 year wedding anniversary. He among a few others has truly been my strongest supporters. I now surround myself with positive people, people who can teach me something new, people who are motivated, people who are spiritual overall encouraging me to be the best version of myself. I am currently working on getting my GED. My reason for accomplishing this goal is to prove to myself I can do anything I put my heart in and accomplish it.

My career plan includes going to college so I can become an esthetician so I can have my own business. That way I can take care of my husband when he's ready to retire from the army.

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Anonymous The Story of a Dreamer There was a girl who came to the United States from Mexico with her two sisters and her mother. Her father was here waiting for them. She was happy because she was going to see her daddy after several years.

Two months passed and she was scared because she had to go to school and she didn't know anyone. After a few days, she had new friends, and she was getting used to the changes that were happening in her life, but there was one thing that she never told her parents about. There was a teacher who made fun of her because she didn't know how to write or speak English.

That didn't stop her because she did everything to pass all her classes and graduate from middle school. When she started high school, everything was better, but there were people who didn't like her because of the way she dressed and because she was dating a guy who was popular. Then her boyfriend and her started ditching school and because of that, she got pregnant at 16 years old. Her friends stopped hanging out with her and didn't talk to her. Of course she was a bad influence to them just because she was pregnant! She decided to drop out of school, which turned out to be a really bad idea!

Now she has three daughters, and for them she will overcome all her fears, so when they grow up, they know that no matter how many times you fail, you can always get up and move on. It's never too late to do the things you want to do in life.

She started school again because she wants to get her GED in order to get a good-paying job, and to help her husband. She wants her daughters to look at her and feel proud of their mother.

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By Izzy I was 13 years old when I began making bad decisions. I ditched school; till I was placed in a group home. I was then placed in state custody. When I turned 18 years old, they released me from their supervision. That’s right - I was on my “own�, although with no high school diploma or equivalency and no record of any high school credits.

I know I made the right choice when I moved here. The following day from my arrival, I discovered this program. I know God is walking with me. I believe Colorado Springs has so much to offer me. I feel it whole-heartedly.

My goals for now are to complete my high school equivalency, get a higher paying position, save money and build my credit score.

By Andre Lavert Smith Stone Soup Starting around third or fourth grade, school was most difficult for me.

Class assignments appear to be too easy resulting in my becoming bored then uninterested, developing within me the bad habit of being easily distracted. So I failed to use my ability to focus on the necessary steps towards advancing to higher levels of education that's required in this society, where it's most common to be taken advantage of without it. But through experiences such as having doors of opportunity shut in my face due to not having a GED, I realized that it would be beneficial for me to get my GED. At that point I was highly inspired and motivated to get my GED, not just for me, but to be a positive influence in my daughter's life despite my past mistakes and current challenges that I'm faced with for the sake of making a better future.

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Anonymous This is a Story About Parents and Their Children I wrote this because I saw on the news a story about a ten year old who took her own life because she was being bullied by other children at school. I wonder what is happening in people's lives these days. We teach our children to be kind to each other, and that they should respect people who are older than they are. We tell our children if they have a problem they can come to us with it.

The point is that they do come to us, but we are not listening to them.

Our children are crying out for help, but we are to busy for them. My understanding is that we have to work in order to pay the bills and buy food to eat and take care of the family. We are doing all of this, and we are leaving out the most special people in our lives. We get so into working that we are tired at the end of the day, and when we do get home, our children are there, but we don’t have time for them. It is like we are pushing them away. Sometimes they will ask us how our day was instead of us asking them.

We get so busy with our lives that we forget about our children's lives. We send them off to school everyday, and our children are like us - they have problems that they are dealing with. I know some of us went through what they are dealing with now. Younger and older children are taking their problems out on kids who don’t have anything to do with what is going on in their lives. That is when the mother and father should be there for their child. We are having children who are being bullied by other children who are not being listened to by their parents. Our kids are killing themselves because of the parents who are too busy for them.

My point is if a child has to go through this, and they does bad things to himself that the other kids' parents should pay for what their children have done to another child. We as adults should listen to our children because if we don’t, there is no telling what they might do to themselves.

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By Jalene In high school, I struggled with finishing getting my Diploma. I found myself very stressed out and it was hard to stay focused on a good future. I felt like I had no time for studying, and I didn’t take school as seriously as I do now. But the way things are going now, I will have to be more disciplined and more determined to get my GED. I want to be able to go to college to work in the medical field for my future. I got pregnant in the 12th grade and it was not an easy time, I know it seems like I made a terrible mistake, but in life, you get caught up with the wrong people when you are in distress. I have since learned the value of my actions that caused me a great deal of stress and to not be where I am supposed to be today if I had made better decisions. However, now in my mind are different views, and I feel that in order to get my GED, it's going to take discipline, perseverance and a strong will!

Presently I have some obstacles to face and some barriers in the way, but I am learning that I have no other choice, but to make getting the GED more seriously and to really do whatever it takes. At the moment, I am struggling with finding time because I have a child who needs attention at home and currently working to make ends meet. But I want a better job, so I will have to think about my future, which is very important!

Now I am more focused on getting my GED and finding any way to achieve my goals. I feel that my future will be better off financially and educationally once I obtain it. It will show how serious I am about my career goals for the future I want.

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By Lee J Reasons I Would Like to Get my GED In my high school I was known as a class clown and the funny kid. I had this reputation because it was a way to stay away from being bullied in class. My friend group was a group of five and while they are great guys, and still my friends to this day, they weren’t the best people to hang out with during school. We started partying and skipping school for fun. My parents and family wanted the best for me, but when they told me to stop, I didn’t listen because I thought school wasn’t necessary. I was foolish thinking this, and it has affected me greatly both mentally and in everyday life.

I am currently working for the GED because I would like to better myself and my future. My main goal is to make my mom and dad proud. Although I still have the same friends from high school, they have all matured greatly and are happy for me and excited to see me get my GED. One major obstacle of getting my GED is the distance I have to travel to get to class and trying to get a job with class days off or with alternative hours. I often wonder if I can succeed in this class and pass, but I will always try for my family.

In the future I would like to work on cars or possibly be a police officer. I live in a small town with a police force that is very active in the community.

Being a teenager, I know a lot of people that don’t like the police, but most teenagers in my town enjoy our police because they act more like your neighbor than a city police officer. I feel that when I get my GED, I can make a difference in my community even if that is making one person’s day better.

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Anonymous My Story I used to be a great student, however, that all changed around the time I started middle school. I almost always got picked on, made to feel insignificant, and unwanted during the mid years of my school career.

I moved out to Colorado when I was in the sixth grade and school completely changed. I went from being able to wear whatever I chose to a uniform. I came out here in the middle of the year and honestly, the end of sixth grade went okay. It was when I went to the other school for middle school I attended that caused the ugliness of my school career. I was overweight most of my school career and having to wear a uniform with a belt and my shirt tucked in, it didn’t look too good. Also, I can remember saying some things that I shouldn’t have, and that put some more heat on my plate. High school rolled around, I discovered off-campus lunch, and honestly, drugs and the negative company of others. I do not put the blame on anyone besides myself whatsoever, but had they not come into my life, I feel like I would not have made the decisions that I made. Not to mention shitty-ass teachers who were fresh out of college.

I would have completed school on May 23rd, 2016 but I didn’t unfortunately. I worked from the late summer of 2016 until about 2019.

I realized that I can and need to better myself so I put myself in a GED prep class to get myself started on the track of bettering myself and expanding my future. My main support is my sister Kylee, as well as my family with whom I live at the moment. My all-time greatest support is my grandparents. I want my family to see that I can do better in life and live up to my full capability.

I would like my future to include a career in the medical field or automotive field. I know I want to help others, but at the moment I am not sure just HOW I want to help them. I do have a history in the mechanic field from working at Jiffy Lube. When I worked there, I enjoyed going to work. When I was a server/cook for like 4 years I fell in love with being able to make people go from having a shitty-ass day to a great day. Nonetheless, I don’t want to be in the food industry. I just want to live the best and full life that I possibly can and excel in anything I endeavor.

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Anonymous Positive Changes Imagine what your life would be like without a high school education. That was my life for the past 27 years until I was introduced to the PPLD adult education program, my whole life and future changed. The Teacher is extremely helpful, the process gives me the experience, knowledge, and pride that I lost when dropping out of school. The flexible schedule of the classes fits easily into my busy life. It has given me the knowledge to help my children with their studies and hope for my future.

The PPLD adult education class has opened doors for my future that I wouldn’t have had before. It will open the door to college, a better job, and an overall better life. Before this class, I couldn’t get a job and had to rely on others. While I did have to buy a small amount of supplies, the class is not financially demanding. After finishing this class, I will have the potential to make more money for myself and my family than I thought possible.

I am extremely grateful for this class and the opportunities that It has given me.

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By Kylee Myers The Way The Cookie Crumbles Seeing through a child's mind growing older my perfect world crumbled to pieces. My mom slowly dying, my brother masking his emotions, and my sister fearing what her life had in store for her. With no breaks in between the crumbles, I tried putting back together turned to dust with one small touch. At the age of 15, I almost died. A blood clot appeared and parts broke off into my lung, which has changed my life forever. I had to start online school and wasn't able to participate in any sports. I thought my life was over. My life is just beginning and I'm about to start another. 34 weeks pregnant and I couldn't be happier. Having the motivation to do more and be more not only for myself but for my child. I'm very thankful for my family with all of the support and wisdom they give me. As long as I continue to push myself, I believe I can do anything! What all of this comes down to is finishing school to start college. Through my medical issues and family struggles, I learned I wanted to be, an Eco Scan Therapist. So I can save people's lives like it did mine. Thinking my life was in crumbles but it gave me an opportunity to see with a clear mind, open eyes, and make my life truly mine.

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Career Online High School Program By providing an alternative graduation option, Career Online High School gives students hope and a path to a better future. The inspirational stories below were written by students in the program in 2019.

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By Ashley Regehr I thought there way no way something like this was going to be able to not only do high school diplomas but a career certificate also. I was very weary about it being free and making sure it’s accredited. COHS has shown me that I can do anything I set my mind to do. It has shown me that with a little bit of trust I could complete it all.

COHS and PPLD is phenomenal!

They are caring and want to see you succeed. A program like this is amazing for someone who doesn’t think they will ever get their high school diploma. All of the staff is amazing and makes sure you’re on track and keep pushing you to do good things. They make sure you understand your courses and if you need help they are more than happy to help you. Your couch is always sending you inspirational messages. I am so proud of myself that I found this program and that I completed it.

I am looking into other schools to finish my degree. I am also looking for a job in Homeland Security while I go to school.

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By Raquel Gomez I first heard about COHS at PPLD Adult Education graduation ceremony last Fall. I had attended HSE courses and had been a little lost about how to continue my education. I wanted to get a job at the school district and I knew that most positions there required a High School diploma. When I learned that COHS offered a career certificate in Child Education on top of the High School diploma, I knew that COHS was the program for me.

After many years of putting my education on hold, I can now pursue the career I have always wanted.

COHS is wonderful. I could complete it while keeping my part time job, and even traveling. That is the great thing about online classes: making your own schedule and doing things on your own terms. If I can do this, you can do this too.

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By Jacklyn Zalpa My graduation was originally planned for the class of 2017, but an event took place where I had to put a halt on my education. Not being a graduate took a toll on me and I ended up moving out of California to Colorado Springs. Desperate for my diploma I did the necessary research and could not find a solid program. I finally came across Career Online High School and my immediate first thought was thank god! It was very interesting going through the registration process, it has been an overall amazing experience.

Career Online High School has greatly impacted not just me, but my family as well.

As I said before not being a graduate took a toll on me. I fell into depression especially after having a baby and not receiving my diploma. The year 2018 I tried different programs in California to help me grow and graduate, but unfortunately my mindset was into making money and working constantly. 2019 I made a promise to myself that I would have my diploma. I am very grateful I found this program it is very flexible if you are a working mother, also has amazing mentors, and creates a learning valuable career skill for yourself. Now I am able to enter the work force as a High School graduate, and my family has never been happier for me. Thank you COHS!!

No matter what age you are, you can still accomplish your High School Diploma!

Never give up on something you want, the mind is very powerful. If you have the discipline and determination you will get it done! Special thanks to Ms. Alana Taylor, my academic coach for creating a plan for me to complete and being encouraging!

Also to the staff at COHS I appreciate you all. Thank you for everything!

By Chris Hemingway At first I was very skeptical. I have heard very poor things about online high school diplomas, so I wanted to do some research first. My local colleges said they are accredited, so that was all it took for me to get on board.

COHS has helped me get a degree and further my education in a situation where I didn't think possible. I am very limited with time to go out, so being able to work at my own pace at home really made it possible.

Give it a shot. It may seem scary, and trust me, everyone is nervous about going back to any form of school, but it's not that bad. It's a very relaxed environment, and they want you to succeed, they will help you any way they can.

I am in school for Criminal Justice, with plans to either branch into Police work, or maybe continuing my education to go into the Forensic Science field.

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By Maria Balderrama When I first attended Career online high school, I thought I was just attending another online school like the two I programs I previously dropped out from.

I was expecting to be bombarded with assignments within a short period of time with little to no help.

COHS isn't just an online school, it's a team of supporters ready to help you take on your struggles to make sure you make your goals.

They don't just focus on making you do school work, they are there for your mental health and well being, to motivate you to do better so you are ensured a successful future. When I attended COHS I was dealing with a lot of problems, my life was spiraling out of control, I was working, raising a son and trying to graduate, all while dealing with homelessness because of a toxic situation. I really didn't think I had the chance to get an education, I was overwhelmed on my schedule, my son was beginning his toddler stages and I needed a place of my own to escape my situation or I doomed the ability of seeing and taking care of my own son.

Today I'm graduated, living in my own place happily, with a better job and life situation, I was able to handle my responsibilities all while juggling my education, all because I had the help and support that I needed. What I want to tell the community is everyone is worthy of an education, it doesn't matter your age, income or lifestyle, everyone deserves to learn something new, knowledge is vast and not everyone can know everything, so take a moment to take in the information that is readily available because for some education is a privilege. I am grateful I enrolled in this program, the staff running this program have put great effort to make sure their students are the brightest they can be before they continue the darkest journey they can endure; that is the journey of Life.

By Amber Niedzialkowski When I first heard about COHS‌ I read more info about how I could obtain my high school diploma and I was very interested. It inspires me more to pursue my diploma...to have a better life for my family with a career‌ I recommend this program for anyone who has not completed their high school education to check out this program... its great and inspires you for great opportunities in becoming successful.

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“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.� ~Winston Churchill Thank you Adult Education volunteers!

Volunteers lead groups such as Speak English, Write English and Path to Citizenship, and meet once a week for two hours at various libraries. They also work one-on-one with an adult, two hours a week, to improve their reading, writing, comprehension, or English language skills.

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Speak English Groups Speak English groups are informal English language conversation groups for adults with intermediate and advanced English skills. Each group meets once a week for two hours.

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By Fanny T. De Llamas Stone Soup Hello I am from Mexico City. I was married, now I am a widow.

I have 6 childrem, 5 boys and one daughter.

Three children lived in Colorado Springs; one in north Carolonie and two in Mexico.

I’m very happy and thankful to my teacher and the library.

I’m grateful for your time and your pacience.

I’m enjoying my family, my friends and the people in this City.

I love Colorado, its mountain and its beautifull lands caper.

I like when the weather is nice.

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Write English Group Write English group participants register to join a group and explore writing for a variety of purposes. To improve their writing skills they need to have a basic understanding of grammar structure, tense usage, vocabulary, and how to commit thought processes and ideas onto paper. The friendships and community forged in Write English groups are as meaningful to the facilitators as to the participants, with each one acquiring more than improved writing skills.

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By Lidye Cox I am French. I learned English during my schooling in France but it cannot be said that I could really speak it when I arrived in the United States.

Certainly the basics of the language allow you to get by at first but not really to have a real conversation, to integrate or to find a well-paid job.

There is a big difference between the English learned in my country and the language as it is actually spoken in an English speaking country, whether it is England or the United States. You might think that the lack of vocabulary is the first drawback to understand what you are being told.

I think that the first thing to do is rather to understand the musicality of the language so that you can then distinguish the words. This facilitates learning and allows us to better express ourselves and make ourselves understood. In addition, the more multicultural the population, the more accents there are. This is why I find it very interesting to learn English in a group of people from different countries. Learning English so that I can integrate better into my new country is important to me. This will allow me to be independent and be able to carry out projects.

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By Laura Recycling in the USA from the perspective of a German.

At this point I live for 3 months in the United States but I already have recognized some differences between Germany and the USA. One of my biggest concerns is how the USA citizens treat their environment.

The stores in the USA give you so many plastic bags. It’s ridiculous. Sometimes I think that they get a reward if they give enough plastic bags out. Once I had just a single item and they wanted to give me a bag. After I told the cashier that I don’t need a plastic bag he look a little bit confused. In Germany it’s totally different. The stores don’t want you to take a bag from them. They expect you to bring a basket or a fabric bag. If you don’t have one of those with you, they offer fabric bags for fifty cents at the check out.

Next to this the USS households are two trash cans, a regular one and a recycling trash can. A lot of people don’t really care if they put plastic in the regular trash can.

In Germany every household has at least four different trash cans, bio waste trash can, paper trash can, plastic trash can and the regular trash can. They also have at public places container for glass. And for special trash the german citizen need to drive to a dump.

Another good thing about the german recycle culture I learned to appreciate is that we have a big recycle system of bottles.

If we go to a store and buy something to drink we need to pay for the bottle and after is empty we could go back to the store and return the bottle to get the money back.

Don’t misunderstand me. I really like it here but I think in Germany we treat or environment so much better.

And I think that is something the USA needs to change!

By Julie Kim My name is Julie and I’m from Los Angeles 4 months ago. I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years. But my English skill is almost same as 10 years ago.

I tried to learn English several times from adult school when I stayed LA. But I couldn’t finish yet due to many reasons. So, I want to learn English again with passion. My goal is graduate college major in special Education.

After graduate, I want to help special needs kid’s families that can find their right and hidden activities.

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By Sabrina Golabek How the American society has become more anxious about the safety of their children in recent decades?

One of my tasks as an Au Pair is to check the Mail Box almost every day.

In my first week in the US I checked the Mail Box and saw one of the backside of a newspaper a small AD: “Have you seen me?�

As I read further the more it became clear that this person had been missing for years and I felt so sorry for the parents, that after all these years they still do not know what happened to their child.

Over the next few weeks, it happened to me over and over again that I saw missing persons in the newspaper, on milk cartons or on the internet. When I compare my childhood in Germany with children in America, then I notice a big difference.

When I grew up I could play outside with my friends without my parents till the sun goes down and also my Hostmum told me that she had the same childhood like me.

She told me about lot of kidnapping cases from children and how the parents got more anxious about leaving their children alone outside.

To get in the school from my Hostchildren is pretty hard, because you have to go through several security levels to protect the children from shootings or kidnapping.

If you compare America to my home country Germany, the question arises as to whether Americans are to over-protective or Germans are too negligent in their task of protecting their children.

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By Amy Yang What is similar and different for women between China and the United States.

When I came to the United States, our luggage was delayed. The second da a strong middle aged lady delivered very heavy luggage to me. I was a little surprised at first. In China this job is for men, not for women. One day I went to a nursery, I saw a very beautiful young lady was watering plants. I was surprised again. In China, a very pretty young lady mostly is not doing this job. The other day I went to a sports store and saw a stunning young lady at checkout counter, and she was a college student. I was shocked again. In China, very pretty women do not do low paid work.

In China, if a woman married a man, she did not need to take her husband’s name. She can still keep her family name. Long ago in China, most families had three or four children. Most women stayed at home to take care of their children.

Later Chinese government found that there were too many people in China.

Especially In the 1960s, millions of people died from famine. Then Chinese government started a one child policy in 1980, most families only had one child.

Most women had full time jobs. Grandparents helped their children to take care of grandchildren, If wives did not have a job, most people would look down on them in China. Husbands did not like their wives to stay at home either. Since China started one child policy, most grandparents and husbands wish the first child was a boy, however sometimes it was a girl. In rural countryside, most of baby girls were aborted. Right now, the number of boys are 14 million more than girls. Recently Chinese government allows that young couple can have two children. Since China opened the door to the outside of the world in 1980, some Chinese people are richer than before. Some men became billionaires, some men owned their own business. Some people were poorer than before.

Since men have more money, the divorce rate increases dramatically. The rich men want to marry younger, pretty girls with high education. Some younger girls with high education are getting lazier than before. They want to live in a good apartment, have very good cars, wear very expensive clothes and travel around the world. They did not care about whether or not the man was married, had children and wife. They did not care about morals. A lot of younger females married men that are old enough to be their fathers. They take advantage of men so much with their beauty. Currently the whole China’s morality is much STONE SOUP 2019

lower than before. Younger generations do not want to marry and have family responsibility. The marriage rate was lower than before. There are a lot of leftover girls in China.

The other thing in China is age discrimination for women. Most companies just hire young girls without marriage. The main reason is maternity leave and gender equality. After a woman gave birth to her baby, she has a six month maternity leave with full pay. Before she gave birth to her baby, she constantly went to see doctors, she often took a sick leave. In China most women treat pregnancy as sick. Right now Chinese government allows that young couple can have two children, if a company hires a young girl, at least three years she can not do her job well. The company constantly needs to have a substitute worker to do her job. Most companies cannot lay her off, so they will go to Labor Arbitration to sue the company. The second reason is gender equality, however, they want to be treated as female and work less and get the same amount of money with male worker. Chinese women do not like to think about something deeply and follow the flow.

In the United States, if a girl married a man, she would take her husband’s name. Right now There is a higher divorce rate, women need to change her last name constantly.

In the United States, you can have many children as you wish. A lot of females stay at home to take care of their children as a job. Husbands come back home from their work and help take care of their children. Grandparents do not help their children to take care of their grandchildren.

I found out that American women are more independent than Chinese women.

They work hard to earn money whether or not they are pretty. Some of them do part time jobs. Most of them marry the same age young boys. American women want to find their soul mate. Chinese women want men to have money.

American women like to read books, they know a lot of things. But Chinese women do not like to read books. They do not know too much. Sometimes Chinese females hope that their parents can help them to pay down payment when they want to buy apartment. American women pay for themselves. The older generations in China sacrificed a lot for their children.

Chinese women should learn from American women. Be stronger and more independent.

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Path to Citizenship Path to Citizenship provides complete citizenship test preparation for anyone wanting to become a U.S. citizen. The sessions cover important U.S. History and government topics. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency and PPLD host Naturalization Ceremonies for those ready to become a U.S. citizen every year.

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One-on-One Tutoring Each student has different needs and ways to learn. With one-on-one tutoring, the tutor can develop a study plan to strengthen the students’ weaknesses, keep students focused and engaged in the lesson, allowing the student to use their time more efficiently.

By Kumja How to stay strong I was born with nothing and I grew up with nothing. I had some very difficult times in my life, but I never blamed my parents or anyone else and I never expected anything from anyone.

Too many people these days try to blame someone or something else for their difficult circumstances and expect someone else to save them from their problems. For many of these people, however, their problems are a result of their own bad decisions. Instead they should make a decision to find their own answer to the problem. America is the greatest country in the world and has opportunities for everyone. People only have to reach out and take advantage of those opportunities. They also need to be willing to work hard and not quit. Never give up.

People have not learned to cope with circumstances. They have so much emotional pain that they can’t deal with what it causes them a lot of physical pain as well. They become filled with anger and bitterness and have no respect for each other and don’t know how to behave. They turn to STONE SOUP 2019

drinking, drugs, gambling, sex and material possessions to cope, but they only make their problems worse.

Children are not disciplined and taught how to behave toward others. They must be taught to be thankful to their creator, Jesus Christ. They must learn to be thankful to their parents, no matter whether they are rich or poor.

Everybody falls sometimes. The secret is learning how to pick yourself up again. But to pick yourself up, you need something to hold on to. That something is Jesus. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, Jesus will give the strength and wisdom to get through it.

There is a constant battle in the world between Good, or God and Evil, or Satan. We should want to be on the winning side, which is God’s side.

There are only two places to go after we die, either heaven or hell. Only those are on God’s side will go to heaven. The only way to be on God’s side is to know Jesus Christ as your Savior. No matter how much money people have, everyone needs Christ because without Him they have no hope after die.

Some days I feel like I can’t make it through the day. I struggle physically and emotionally. From the very beginning, I have had too much drama in my life. But I don’t complain and I always want to share with others the reason for the peace that I have and the source of my strength. Even in difficult times, God is with us and we can rely on Him. The Bible has all the answers to everything for everyone.

Psalm 27:13-14 says: “I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”.

Psalm 121:1-2, 7-8 says: “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.--- The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore”.

I’ve been able to take advantage of many ESL and other programs offered at my church and the library and I am thankful for all of the teachers and staff at both places. They have helped me so much.

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Food Industry Training program PPLD provides a four-week Food Industry Training program to give people the skills they need to enter or advance in employment as a qualified prep cook or line cook. The program teaches culinary fundamentals like knife skills, cooking techniques, recipe reading, etc.; explores career opportunities in the culinary industry; and incorporates work readiness skills like rĂŠsumĂŠ writing and interview skills. Participants also earn their ServSafe Food Handler certification. No previous experience is required and there is no cost to participants.

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By Sufia Davidson When I heard [about the culinary program] for the first time it was just like a surprise that was waiting for me.

I came home and told my husband he said go for it. I just was worried about my English and accent. He said kitchen needs a good Chef not your accent. Then I decided to go for it.

This class gives me a whole different world of respect and experience. Without PPLD I could not reach that position in my life. I can’t appreciate enough for that. I think this is a great program and PPLD should continue to provide this program’s for the people.

I’m working at Antlers’s Hotel. And I love my job. I have great team who is helping me. And it is honor work with Great Chef’s Carlos and Michael.

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On behalf of the PPLD Board of Trustees, the PPLD Foundation Board of Directors, and the PPLD staff, please allow us to extend our sincerest gratitude to all of our donors who support PPLD and its programs through their charitable giving. Our staff would not be able to deliver the essential services they do without the generous support of our individual, corporate, foundation, and government benefactors. We could not do it without you! Thank you for all you do to support PPLD and the impact you help us create by continuing to support PPLD. The PPLD Foundation is proud to recognize your gift supporting adult learners in the Adult Education Division of PPLD. For any questions please contact the Foundation at foundation@ppld.org.

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