Gisela Rojas, Maria Barrera and Alicia Lobos don’t fit the typical demographic of student presenters at meetings of the Redondo Beach Unified School District’s Board of Education.
But as District Superintendent Steven Keller said, the three women, enrolled in English as a Second Language courses at South Bay Adult School, are examples of why many teachers get into education in the first place. “They’re hungry, and they want to learn…these ladies exemplify everything we stand for, advocate for and cherish,” Keller said.
Rojas came to the United States from Mexico 14 years ago. “Life is hard if you don’t speak English, especially if you have a job,” she said. “I was terrified that someone might speak to me, and I wouldn’t be able to understand or respond.”
Barrera grew up in southern Mexico, raised, along with her sister, by her grandmother. Their mother died when she was 16 months old; their father left soon after. She came to the U.S. without knowing a word of English, working odd jobs: housekeeping, babysitting, recycling. She came to the Adult School at the urging of her husband, who she met in 2010. “It has been the best decision I could have made,” she said.
Lobos has been in the U.S. for 24 years, originally from Chile. Like Rojas, and like many of her fellow SBAS students, she didn’t speak English on her arrival. “People would say hi, or good morning, and I couldn’t respond; I didn’t understand what they were saying,” she said. “I was embarrassed and frustrated.”
All three are at the highest levels of South Bay Adult School’s ESL programs, working toward their GED certificates. Rojas plans to continue her education at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, to learn accounting; Barrera is finishing up job training courses; and Lobos recently obtained her cosmetology and passed her Citizenship interview — in English.
“These women are committed, hardworking and dedicated. This is why people come to America — for opportunity,” said Assistant Superintendent Tom Stekol, who oversees the South Bay Adult School. “When people think of schools, they aren’t thinking of ways RBUSD can help those that aren’t of traditional school age be beneficial to the community.”
The speakers are great examples of how individuals can improve their lives, said Anthony Taranto, director of SBAS.
“They show what the possibilities are for those who are resilient, determined and motivated to accomplish their goals,” Taranto said.
The ESL program is the largest at SBAS, representing languages and cultures from more than 50 countries. Over 600 students register, per term, for the free classes; the only cost is the purchase of a textbook.
“It’s a good example of adult education, people going back to school after realizing that they didn’t accomplish what they wanted to,” Keller said. “It’s never too late, and these ladies exemplify that.”
