Framingham Adult ESL Program Celebrates Graduates

FRAMINGHAM, MA- Family, friends and teachers gathered to recognize the hard work of this semester's adult ESL students at the graduation ceremony. The morning ceremony brought guests in the crowd including representative Jack Lewis and Assistant Superintendent Joe Corazzini.

About 200 students graduate from the morning program per semester and about 850 graduate from the evening program per semester.

The Adult ESL classes aim to not only give students a handle on the English language but to prepare them with life skills training as well. The graduation commemorates the students' completion of a full semester of ESL curriculum, but the program differs from a 'traditional' graduation in that students aren't pushed out once they finish.

"Many students like to take additional classes," said Debbie Centamore, dean of students in the program. After graduating, students can continue taking classes until they feel comfortable enough to move on. The next steps for students could be community college, vocational programs or entering the workforce.

"Many of our students own their own businesses," Centamore said, so post-graduation becomes the real-world application of the skills learned in class. Having a handle on the English language gives students who own a business a level playing field. Centamore said a former student named Herbert came into the program wanting to be a DJ. Now he owns his own DJ business and DJ's all of the program's events. Centamore said that some students who have mastered the language even come back to volunteer in the program.

Many students are encouraged to go on to take their GED or enroll in the HiSET/GED program. The GED program is offered through the Adult ESL program but it is open to all students looking to earn their diploma and taught in English.

"Our ESL program is a lottery system and we almost always have to turn people away, it gets so full, but the GED program always has space," Centamore said.

Photo Credit: Framingham Adult ESL