English Express gets $20,000 to help English learners – Times-Standard

English Express, a local program that offers online and in-person classes, field trips, citizenship classes, and direct connection to local resources, received a $20,000 grant from the Fortuna-based Rose Perenin Foundation.

“Our students know the name Rose Perenin,” said Mary Ann Hytken, founder and teacher of English Express. “With the help of this grant, we are able to give increased attention and have a stronger presence for the residents of the Eel River Valley.

English Express is a year-round program that serves as a hub for immigrant families in Humboldt County. Hytken said the program has become a trusted partner with the region’s immigrant population. She said English Express strives to uplift these community members and their families through access to English, connections to resources, access to US citizenship and social media.

Last year, the core group offered nearly 200 learning opportunities, including weekly lessons, contextual learning sessions, Saturday sessions for beginners, and fun ways to learn English phrases. on social networks.

Citing one particular success story, Hytken said, “A college student and mother of three young children took our Fortuna courses for a few years and then earned her GED, citizenship and business license.”

“She now runs a successful house cleaning business,” Hytken said. “This is the potential impact of our program for every student.”

The goal of the English Express program is to work with the most vulnerable in the local community and break the intergenerational cycle of fear, isolation, poverty, trauma and suffering faced by many immigrant families.

Students in the program included individuals, parents, grandparents, heads of households, guardians, and entire immigrant families.

“English Express strives to break down stigma, build trust and foster self-sufficiency in Humboldt County’s immigrant community,” Hytken said.

Recent field trips have included visits to Clendenen’s Cider Works, Fortuna Depot Museum, Scotia Fisheries Exhibit, Humboldt Botanical Garden and a cruise on the Madaket.

English Express, established in 2016, is a DreamMaker program of Ink People for the Arts, a local non-profit organization that provides tax sponsorships to many community groups and projects. To learn more about English Express, visit englishexpressempowered.com.

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