The United States is known as a place of opportunity, where dreams can become reality. Norma believes that the American dream is within reach for those who work hard enough to achieve it, and that learning English is the first step toward thriving in this country.
Norma came to the U.S. in 1996 for a better life and opportunities than she had back home. As soon as she arrived, she began looking for jobs and for ways to study English.
She has been employed at Stater Bros. Markets for thirteen years. Norma is currently a supervisor at the store, and her goal is to become an assistant manager. Before starting English Advance, Norma wanted to improve “the way she communicated with others and overcome the barriers that prevented her from speaking and connecting with others.” Norma says she now feels more empowered and independent.
She uses the English skills she has gained in every aspect of her life, including during her medical appointments, when communicating with her landlord, and when speaking with her mechanic. She is no longer reliant on others to translate or assist her in Spanish, and she can navigate daily situations on her own.
Norma noted that she loved to talk and participate with her classmates and her teacher in class. She and her classmates always felt included, and their teacher created a supportive learning environment by offering plenty of assistance and patience. She states that while in class, she “never felt like anyone was going to judge her or make her feel inferior.” The online coursework was Norma’s favorite part of the program. She explained that the digital lessons were set up in a fun, game-like format, which kept her engaged and motivated. She often completed the activities more than once to challenge herself and strengthen her English skills.
This learning experience, made possible through her employer, filled Norma with gratitude and happiness. She emphasizes that “it felt like Stater Bros. Markets cared deeply about its workers, and I received immense support from everyone involved, including the company, the English Advance team, and the program’s instructor.” She believes that improving her English is important because she desires to be an essential part of the company and a hardworking citizen. When asked if she would take a class like this again, Norma states that she would do it in a heartbeat; she would like to take advantage of every program that Stater Bros. Markets provides to its employees.
The Forum would like to thank Gisselle Baez Almonte, Workforce Advance Intern, for capturing this story.