English Classes Help New Residents Prepare for Jobs

When Cynthia Avila moved to Katonah from Peru, she spoke only a few English words. She wanted to enroll in a nearby community college but needed to work to help pay for classe—but getting a job was difficult with her language skills.

She went to the two mornings a week. There she gained a foundation of reading, writing and conversational English—and made connections that led to a part-time nanny position for a family in Katonah.

"I moved here eight years ago, and now I have a job and go to school," Avila, 29, told Patch in an interview at the . She stopped to smile and chat with librarian Connie Kamerman, her former English teacher at the community center.

"And I love Katonah—the people here are so nice and welcoming," she said.

Her first job was at the A&P in Mt. Kisco, but she said she wanted more for her future. Plus, she wasn't earning enough money to pay for school. She asked the center's staff if they knew anyone looking to hire and that led to a five-year part-time nanny position in Katonah.

Eight years after moving here, Avila now works as a nanny in South Salem and is pursuing an accounting degree at Weschester Community College. She also volunteers some Saturday mornings at the Community Center, in addition to her 50-hour-a-week job and studying for school.

"The volunteers there—they gave their time and it helped me," she told Patch. "Why wouldn't I help when they need it?" she said.

The Center has offered a variety of English classes throughout its 20-year history, according to Sherry Wolf, executive director. The had been offering English classes taught by church volunteers before the center was founded and their efforts were later folded into the center's mission.

In addtion to the bi-weekly sessions Avila participated in, the center also offers some one-on-one pairings between individual volunteers and clients in order to accommodate their needs, such as preparing for GED and citizenship exams.

"Last year, over 800 students attended our classes and workshops—including English, job skills, nutrition," said Wolf. Those numbers also include students enrolled in a civic education curriculum in place since 2007, which combines the basics of U.S. civics with langage skills for low-literacy, non-native speaking adults. The courses are funded primarily from the Westchester Community Foundation.

Avila said it was her mother—who was an elementary school teacher in Peru and now works as a nanny in South Salem, a few doors down from where Avila works—who first encouraged her to go to the community center. She said they have both appreciated the support of the Katonah community and the opportunities it has provided—among them, spending more time together as a family.

"In Peru, my mom was the only one supporting me and she worked two jobs. She had no time to see me," said Avila. Her mother left Peru in 1994 and saved money for ten years so her daughter could join her. Now they live with Avila's aunt and uncle in Katonah, where her favorite pasttime is to go for long walks past the stores and into the woods.

Avila has also brought the children she babysits to the community center so they can see the value in helping others. "We're teaching the kids, it's really good to do it," she said.

This is the second in a series of four articles marking the 20th anniversary of the Community Center of Northern Westchester. for the first story, and tune in next week.