ESL and high school classes give students the tools to succeed
Like so many millions of immigrants before her, Adriana Machado De Sousa came to the United States chasing the American dream. After coming from Brazil, she was working cleaning homes but knew she could do more. She found her way at Berkeley Adult School (BAS).
“When you’re an immigrant, you come to the United States and you think, ‘I just want to go to school to learn English,’ that’s your first goal. Most of the time, speaking for me, you don’t think you’re capable of doing more in another country where you don’t speak the language,” she says. “While I was studying to get my high school diploma, having the support of the counselor, I thought, ‘I can do better.’ Getting my high school diploma was the first step for me that opened doors.”
Machado De Sousa graduated from BAS’ English as a Second Language (ESL) courses while earning her high school diploma. She says the enrollment process was easy and that teachers and staff were very patient throughout the process. She was most appreciative of the support from counselor Betsey Hoyt, who helped guide her through the sometimes complicated educational system.
“Enrolling in ESL classes is the first step to accomplish more.”
Adriana Machado De Sousa, Berkeley Adult School graduate
“I was actually preparing myself for GED classes. Then I had a meeting with the counselor and she was the one to say … ‘I don’t think you need it since you [graduated] high school from your country. Bring the transcripts and you can take some required classes.’ If it wasn’t for her, I would have taken the GED and it would have been more time consuming, more complicated,” Machado De Sousa says. “When you meet with someone who is willing help you, it makes all the difference.”
Flexibility was another important aspect for Machado De Sousa. As an adult school student, she says BAS staff and faculty understand that students have to fit school into their existing lives, not the other way around.
“You think, … ‘I’m going to have to come to school every day like a teenager,’ but no, they accommodate your schedule,” she says. “They know we’re all adults — it’s Berkeley Adult School — so they know we have families, we have jobs, so they try to accommodate the system, because they really want you to succeed.”
Today, Machado De Sousa works for Alameda County, helping low-income families determine eligibility for public assistance such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), medical coverage and more. She says she’s able to be in that job because she was able to continue her education after BAS, going on to earn a master’s degree in public administration and public policy from Cal State East Bay. She says earning her diploma inspired her to keep going.
“Enrolling in ESL classes is the first step to accomplish more. My advice is to not give up, put a goal on it” she says. “My advice is to not be afraid, not be intimidated … Staff will be very friendly and welcoming, don’t be shy, say, ‘I don’t understand, I need some help here.’”
For more information on how Berkeley Adult School can help you achieve your goals, visit bas.berkeleyschools.net or call 510-644-6130.
Written by Anne Stokes
| Regions | Classes |
|---|---|
| Bay Area California | English as a Second Language |
