By Margarita Correa-McAvoy
Communications & Public Relations Director
El Centro Hispano
201 W. Main St. Ste. 100
Durham, NC 27701
919.687.4635 ext. 29
ECH teaches adults to read and write in Spanish at the primary and secondary educational level. With the successful completion of each educational level participants receive the appropriate certificate from the Mexican Consulate, a certificate that is valid in 5 Latino countries. On June 24, 2010, 16 people received their Certificate from Mexican Consulate. The second cycle of the adult Spanish literacy class started on August 17, 2010. The graduation for this group will be on July 2011.
In today’s culture, there is immense emphasis on education. Read the news and this message becomes clear: “the more educated you are, the better off you will be”.
The impact of an educated society, on both economic opportunities and general attitudes, is invaluable and the awareness of the benefits we as a society receive when educational opportunities increase is limited and receives less attention. The benefits of investing in education are fundamental to the well-being of our nation, one’s personal happiness and satisfaction and enhanced life experiences – things virtually impossible to measure.
El Centro Hispano, located in Durham/Carrboro, North Carolina is pleased to contribute to educating our community. With limited resources and working in collaboration with our many friends, we continue to touch many lives in affirmative ways through our educational programming.
Last June, as in the past 9 years, El Centro Hispano’s Adult Education Program, in partnership with the Mexican Consulate and the National Institute for Adult Education in Mexico (“Instituto Nacional de Educación para Adultos (INEA)”), 18 individuals graduated. 7 of them completed our literacy class (they learned how to read and write), 6 finished their primary education, and 5 passed through the 9th grade program. These courageous individuals received their certificates and diplomas – valid in 5 Latin American countries. We congratulate for their efforts and persistence. At this moment we are working with the Mexican Consulate and INEA in order to expand and offer the high school diploma via our Adult Education Program.
One of the factors that has contributed to the success of this program is that El Centro Hispano provides free childcare and the parents can attend their classes making sure their little ones are secure and are being provided with nurturing care.
Our special thanks to the Mexican Consulate, the “Instituto Nacional de Educación para Adultos (INEA)”, and all of those teachers, volunteers, and staff members that help our community in achieving their personal goal. We cannot accomplish this without their generous work.
Education is something that people should pursue even into their adult years …
To learn more about our many community resource partners, our generous sponsors and the programming El Centro Hispano provides, please visit our web site – www.elcentronc.org – or if you are interested in getting actively involved in our mission, you are certainly most welcome.
El Centro Hispano is a grassroots, community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the Latino community and improving the quality of life of Latino residents in Durham, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and surrounding areas.
For more information, please visit us at www.elcentronc.org, contact us at 919-687-4635 or come join us at 201 West Main Street, Suite 100 Durham, NC 27701