Causes: Adult Education, Community Coalitions, Education, Educational Services

Mission: Sacramento ESL Program (SESL), in collaboration with the community of the Greater Sacramento area, shall provide adult speakers of other languages the resources, technology, opportunities, and tools in an encouraging, positive learning environment where they will have the opportunity to: •Acquire necessary basic skills in reading, speaking, and writing English •Be empowered to participate more fully in the daily tasks of family, school, workplace, continuing education, lifelong learning, and community •Provide computer classes to learn and improve skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, and email as basic skills and add other competencies that will help them hone specific skills; teach them how to use the computer to help them become job ready and employable. •Place a distance learning program at the disposal of our students.

Results: We have been giving ESL classes for several years now and as people hear about us, our classes have grown. Besides providing classes year-round, we have a large attendance over the summer with students from around the world who come to study English for the summer. Our students come from China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Korea, Ethiopia, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, France, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Afghanistan, etc. Their test scores improve from 1 to 10 points in just eight weeks, depending on how hard they study in their spare time and how well they take advantage of class time. Some of our students go on to study at the college level. Year-round classes go from September to June and summer school goes eight weeks from June to August.

Target demographics: Non-English speaking adults, 18 years of age and up

Direct beneficiaries per year: 150 students, 85 studentsin the summer

Geographic areas served: The Greater Sacramento Area

Programs: Evening classes in English as a Second Language (ESL)