Yolanda Perez & Paula Perez Laura Escoto , Vivian Varela & Cecelia Ponzini Christa Hanson
Photography by Liza Garibaldi |
Lori Franke |
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Sister Stephanie Still & Sister Paula Baker |
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Linda Withrow & Sharon Ruggiero |
The Learning and Loving Education Center celebrated with a “ Turning 21 — Celebrating our Success ” event that was held on Sunday , September 21 st , at Mama Mia ’ s Italian Restaurant .
Guests enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner buffet while bidding on Silent Auction items . Local wineries were on hand for tasting and special performances by the South Valley Suzuki Music Foundation and Corazon Mexicano Folkloric Dance were presented .
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Mayor Steve Tate , Rene Spring , George Chiala , Martha Artiles , Mario Banuelos
Maria Alarcon & Bertha Munoz
Suzuki String Players
In turn , they ask the women to attend 75 percent of the classes in which they have enrolled , but will be flexible due to illness or other extenuating circumstances .
Students may bring their babies into the classrooms or drop them off at the Center ’ s daycare and preschool just steps away at no additional cost . The preschool provides social preparedness and kindergarten readiness for children ages 2 to 5 . Sixty-seven children are currently enrolled while more are on a wait list .
Ninety percent of the women who attend classes at the Center are below the poverty line and the remaining women are barely above it . Some women can ’ t read and write in their own language while others are highly trained professionals who have not found opportunities here .
Meeting other women from all over the world but with similar circumstances opens their eyes to other cultures and people and support from one another , Hanson said . Last year , 10 women went onto Gavilan College ’ s satellite campus in Morgan Hill .
“ It ’ s been fantastic ,” said Sr . Pat , who stepped down as Center director in 2012 . “ The ESL is key and the computer skills are key , but the biggest joy for me is loving and watching the women ’ s growth and the sparkle inside of them , and building their self esteem .”
All of the women over the years have touched her heart , she said , including a group of women from Ethiopia and Somalia , who came
to the Center having never read a book or held a pencil . She said six women went on to start their own business in 2002 .
“ Where I see this now and where it ’ s going is that the women themselves caught the message . They had it in their hearts to do their best for their children . And now their children are out of college and have degrees and I know that it makes those women ’ s hearts soar ,” Sr . Pat said .
The Center employs nine part-time employees and one full-time employee . Volunteers and donations are the lifeblood of the Center . All of the teachers are volunteers and most are retired credentialed teachers . Seven out of the nine teachers started out as students at the Center . The Center relies on 40 regular volunteers and students from Gavilan College , San Jose State University and Santa Clara University . “ The wonderful volunteer base we have is amazing . We couldn ’ t exist without them ,” Hanson said .
Computers , supplies and furniture are donated . Older computers are given to students to use at home . Hanson points out a lending library for the women and their children . Some 1,700 books were donated and a high school student set up the donated bookshelves and lending program for her Girl Scout Gold Award . The United Way painted the entire interior of the building a year ago and a local plumber outfitted the preschool with a sink .
“ The local community is very , very generous ,” Hanson said . To take a tour of the Learning and Loving Education Center or
F A L L 2 0 1 4 M O R G A N H I L L T O D A Y
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