Wimauma

Talk of the tow

English classes drew dozens of residents at a farmworker housing complex. Demand is so great, officials are trying to schedule more classes.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 7, 2003

Ysbrain Guzman moved to Wimauma from Mexico in 1997, with dreams of someday becoming a nurse.

The 43-year-old Guzman has picked up a little English, but not enough to get through the college courses for a nursing degree.

"If you don't know English, you can't really do much here," Guzman, a married father of two who works at a turf grass business near Apollo Beach, said in Spanish. "I need to know English."

Soon, he will.

Guzman and dozens of residents of La Estancia, an 84-unit housing complex for low-income farmworkers, have enrolled in free English classes being taught by two Hillsborough County teachers.

The students come from several countries and range in age from late teens to 40s. Some do not write or read in their native Spanish, much less a second language. Yet they all want to speak, read and write English because they believe it will better their lives.

The program, started last week, is similar to dozens offered throughout the county at missions, schools, churches and community centers.

But these evening classes are the result of persistent lobbying by La Estancia management and the Florida Institute for Community Studies, a nonprofit research and service organization focused on improving the lives of farm workers and other underserved populations in Florida.

La Estancia manager Norma Cisneros said residents have been asking for English classes at the state-subsidized housing complex for two years; programs offered at Good Samaritan and Beth-El missions are too far away. Many residents do not have cars, and do not get out of work in time to shower, eat and then find transportation to the missions, Cisneros said.

So when Armwood High School teacher Kelly Wade arrived at La Estancia last week, more than 30 residents showed up.

The demand is so great, school district officials are trying to schedule classes four nights a week instead of two. For now, classes are Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Enrollment will be capped at 50 students, with La Estancia residents getting first dibs at signing up.

On Monday, more than two dozen students returned for the third class, showing off a few phrases they'd learned.

"Hello, my name is Kelly Wade."

"My name is Miguel Medina."

"Nice to meet you, Miguel."

"Nice to meet you, Kelly Wade."

Across the room, fellow Armwood High teacher Pat Gray worked with five students whose English skills are more advanced.

They started with pronouns: "Anna is cute," Gray said. "She is cute," her students replied.

"Is Texas a big state?" Gray asked.

"Yes, it is!" replied Guzman, who has been practicing at night with his wife, Elvia, who also is enrolled in the class. "Very big."

In another corner, several students practiced writing and reciting the alphabet.

Wade and Gray have divided the group based on their language level.

Most foreign-born field workers speak little or no English, according to a 1997 study by the U.S. Department of Labor. The study also found that most have limited reading and writing skills.

"The goal is to get them all literate, and ready to get their high school diplomas," said Tammy Crawford-Morse, community school administrator. "As long as there's a need, we will offer this class."