PPY NAWC Newsletter Spring 2013_Draft 2INTERMEDIATE STUDENT Class Cookbook a Labor of Love By Sharon J. Gintzler By Sharon J. Gintzler By Sharon J. Gintzler By Sharon J. Gintzler (ES(ES(ES(ESL Instructor)L Instructor)L Instructor)L Instructor)
WE ARE ELLIS ISLAND: ENGAGING WITH OUR IMMIGRANT HERITAGE
pg 2 TIME TO BUILD NEW FRIENDSHIPS STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: CAREER GOALS SPRING BRINGS BACK TO THE YMCA
pg 3
PROSPECT PARK
a class cookbook to our intermediate
students, they were eager to provide
traditional recipes from their
inspired by the bounty of delectable
ethnic cuisines prepared by our
students at the NAWC annual Spring
Event. The event is just one of the
many ways in which the Prospect Park
YMCA encourages our students to
participate in extracurricular
proficiency.
make life better for themselves and
their families. They also take pride in
their culture. Our cookbook not only
celebrates that pride, but connects
people of such diverse lands as
Uzbekistan, Brazil, Yemen and Italy.
Our project promises to be a savory
potpourri. Enrique Valdez of Mexico
describes authentic barbecue – cooking in a pit dug in the ground.
Laura Gonzales and Ana Mendoza, who
hail from Peru, tell us how to make,
respectively, healthy quinoa salad and
ceviche. “Quinoa is originally from
Peru and
says proudly.
charkekan, a traditional dish of the
Aymara ethnic group, made with
(boiled corn), potatoes, cheese, boiled
egg, and dried llama meat (you m
substitute other kinds of meat). “I like
to cook and to try different dishes in
neighborhoods all over NY,” says Raul.
“It’s my hobby.”
discusses manti, cumin
perfect tiramisu. Perhaps Nelci Soares
dos Santos of Brazil, who gives us her
recipe for pão
she says, “When I make this, I think of
New Americans Welcome Center
INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS SHARE A TASTE OF HOME a Labor of Love
TIME TO BUILD NEW FRIENDSHIPS STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: CAREER GOALS SPRING BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE BACK TO THE YMCA
pg 3 BEGINNERS ESL AT THE NEW AMERICANS WELCOME CENTER
pg 4
hail from Peru, tell us how to make,
respectively, healthy quinoa salad and
ceviche. “Quinoa is originally from
Peru and the surrounding areas,” Laura
says proudly.
charkekan, a traditional dish of the
Aymara ethnic group, made with mote
(boiled corn), potatoes, cheese, boiled
egg, and dried llama meat (you may
substitute other kinds of meat). “I like
to cook and to try different dishes in
neighborhoods all over NY,” says Raul.
“It’s my hobby.”
recipe for buñuelos (fried cheese
biscuits), and Oleg Shin of Uzbekistan
discusses manti, cumin-scented,
perfect tiramisu. Perhaps Nelci Soares
dos Santos of Brazil, who gives us her
recipe for pão de queijo, a traditional
cheese bread, sums it up best when
she says, “When I make this, I think of
my country.”
safe haven where they can preserve their ethnic identities, while
acclimating to the community at large.
NYU’s LITERACY REVIEW HONORS STUDENT POET
For the fifth
Prospect Park YMCA New Americans
Welcome Center for publication in
journal The Literacy Review
A class assignment inspired
Computer Literacy class,
Computer Literacy Instructor Christine
for the NAWC and for the Computer
Literacy/Job
pg 4
my country.”
haven where they can preserve
their ethnic identities, while
LITERACY REVIEW HONORS STUDENT POET
fifth consecutive year, the
Prospect Park YMCA New Americans
Welcome Center for publication in its
The Literacy Review.
Garcia, a student in the NAWC's
Computer Literacy class, to write her
poem "TWO," a lively meditation on the
experience of being a twin.
"This honor could not have
happened to a better person," said
Computer Literacy Instructor Christine
This is wonderful recognition
iteracy/Job Readiness program."
Museum is currently closed to the public
following Hurricane Sandy, that hasn't
stopped National Park Ranger Peter
Wong from sharing his passion for the
history of the island and the millions of
immigrants whose lives in America
began on its shores.
Welcome Center partnered with the
National Park Service to bring a piece of
Ellis Island history directly to the Park
Slope Armory YMCA, where it hosted a
film screening and discussion with
Ranger Wong in celebration of New
York City's Immigrant Heritage Week.
U.S. inspectors examining the eyes of immigrants, Ellis Island Library of Congress
Prior to showing the documentary
Island of Hope, Island of Tears, Ranger
WE ARE ELLIS ISLAND: ENGAGING WITH OUR IMMIGRANT HERITAGE
“Tens of millions of us have relatives who came this way, sat in this room, part of the largest migration in history. Of the many who came, some were turned away. But even they would leave part of themselves in America, to remind us why they had come so far.” - Island of Hope, Island of Tears
Wong encouraged students to reflect
on the experiences that immigrants
would have encountered during the
course of their entry to the United
States. In order to illustrate the medical
examinations that took place on Ellis
Island during the early 1900s, Mr.
Wong pulled out a "buttonhook "– a tool
that was used to inspect immigrants'
eyes for evidence of the infectious
disease trachoma – and described how
inspectors would make chalk marks on
immigrants' garments to denote the
results of their physical inspections.
Oral history narratives from Island of
Hope, Island of Tears provided
additional perspective on the sights,
sounds, and sensations that
accompanied immigrants during their
steerage, where passengers were
the smell of spoiling food, to memorable
first glimpses of the Statue of Liberty
and the New York City skyline.
Students at the New Americans
Welcome Center used the occasion to
reflect on the similarities and
differences between immigration
about this experience," said
Intermediate ESL student Laura
things I saw in the video. Now I would
like to be able to visit Ellis Island one
day."
Screening of Award-Winning Documentary Brings History to Life During Immigrant Heritage Week
Time to Build New Friendships
“Just sitting amongst people from so many different backgrounds – there’s something genuinely warm about it.” – Laurenda Lynch
During an average week at the New
Americans Welcome Center, each student
spends six to twelve hours of class time
focused on educational goals such as learning
English vocabulary, preparing for the
citizenship exam, or mastering knowledge of
Microsoft Office software. On February 13th,
NAWC students and staff members gathered in
pursuit of a very different set of goals: to eat,
drink, and enjoy the party.
Like other community events at the New
Americans Welcome Center, the annual
Friendship Day Celebration provided an
opportunity to take time out from the
demands of work, school, and daily life.
Children participated in face painting, and
adults shared conversation and sampled from
a tantalizing array of ethnic foods and
desserts.
relaxation. Because the Friendship Day event
brought together students, staff, and
family members from each of the NAWC’s
three program sites, it facilitated
connections between participants who
meet.
New Americans Welcome Center’s
Advanced Lab computer workshop, the
Friendship Day Celebration provided time
to concentrate on the value of meeting
new people.
“I totally enjoyed myself. You see the
benefits beyond what you just learned in
class. You foster a love of community
when you participate in events like this.”
NAWC Students and Staff Celebrate Friendship Day
Spring Brings Opportunities to Give Back to the YMCA Rebeca Sosa is one among 14 students at
the New Americans Welcome Center who have
passed their citizenship exams in 2013. She is
also a proud advocate for the program that
gave her access to Citizenship Prep classes
free of charge.
students volunteered their time during the
annual Healthy Kids Day event at the Park
Slope Armory YMCA. As families and
community members browsed information
flyers and engaged participants in conversation
about the NAWC’s free ESL, Citizenship Prep,
and Computer Literacy classes.
events, NAWC student volunteers provide
STSTSTSTUDENT UDENT UDENT UDENT
valuable outreach by sharing their
experiences in the program and spreading
awareness of what the YMCA has to offer.
“I thank the YMCA for helping me achieve my goals,” says Rebeca, who passed her citizenship exam in April and is currently studying for her GED. “Now I can tell others about these classes.”
Staff and Volunteers at Healthy Kids Day
3
Raquel Rivera knows what it means to persevere. She persevered through the difficult years after coming to the United States, accepting jobs in factory work and retail despite her training as an accountant in Mexico. She persevered through the challenges of supporting two children as a single mother. And she persevered through many years of living on an economic razor’s edge, facing the frustrations of being passed over for pay raises at work and denied for food stamps and subsidized healthcare because her income fell just over eligibility limits. After she joined the New Americans Welcome Center’s Computer Literacy class and job support group in the fall of 2011, Raquel gradually gained the confidence to focus on her career goals. “I wanted to feel financially secure. I wanted to support my children and see them graduate from college,” she says. Equipped with a positive outlook and the encouragement of her NAWC support group, Raquel decided to pursue her interest in cooking, and she applied for a job in food services at the New York City Department of Education. Raquel was hired and began training for her new position at the end of 2012. Now she is savoring the fruits of her perseverance: career satisfaction and a newfound sense of economic stability for her family.
It has been my honor and dedication
to teach Beginner ESL class for the last
five months at the Prospect Park YMCA
New Americans Welcome Center.
was immediately impressed by the warm
smiles of my students and the vibrant
atmosphere of anticipation as students
sat patiently, eager to learn English.
Beginner ESL class is a true “melting
pot.” Students are of all age ranges, and
they come from a variety of different
cultural, ethnic, social, and economic
backgrounds. I admire their willingness
to sacrifice their time from Monday to
Thursday for three hours per class, even
when they may face challenges in their personal lives. However, at the end of the day, they all have one achievement in
common: improving their literacy skills in
English.
students in Beginner ESL class. I love
creating lesson plans that involve
interactive collaboration
and practice their pronunciation.
extend
because the more questions you ask, the
more you learn!”
students responded with smiles on their
faces.
Bronx YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at Glebe Senior Center 2125 Glebe Ave. Bronx NY 10462
Ruben Arce, NAWC Program Coordinator rarce@ymcanyc.org 917-673-8688
Tania Alor, NAWC Counselor talor@ymcanyc.org 917-721-0748 Chinatown YMCA New Americans Welcome enter at the Chinatown YMCA Beacon Center 100 Hester Street, New York, NY 10002
Jie Ling Chen, NAWC Program Coordinator jchen@ymcanyc.org 212-219-8393
Stephanie Chan, NAWC Counselor schan@ymcanyc.org 212-219-8393
Flushing YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Flushing YMCA Branch 138-46 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354
Kathy Liu, NAWC Program Coordinator kliu@ymcanyc.org
Grace Kim, NAWC Counselor ykim@ymcanyc.org 121 Harlem YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Harlem YMCA Outreach Center (Family Welcome Center #1) 2627 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., New York, NY 10039
Thalia Kwok, NAWC Program Coordinator tkwok@ymcanyc.org
Terita Givens, NAWC / Lit Zone Partnership Coordinator, tgivens@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024
Beginners ESL at the New Americans Welcome Center By Amanda Phulesar (ESL Instructor)
students in Beginner ESL class. I love
creating lesson plans that involve
interactive collaboration and promote
whole-class discussion. Each day,
also learn basic grammar and literacy
skills, including interpersonal skills. During class, students are highly
motivated to learn. I emphasize the
importance of active participation and
students assist one another or ask me if
they need clarification. Students often
reach outside of the lesson plan to
extend their education. I always tell
them, “Do not be shy to ask questions,
because the more questions you ask, the
more you learn!”
students responded with smiles on their
faces. They felt that they were able to
communicate
bosses, and
questions effectively
class to improve
helping them achieve their goal
English!
Flushing YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Flushing YMCA Branch
46 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354
Program Coordinator kliu@ymcanyc.org 718-961-6880, ext.123
, NAWC Counselor ykim@ymcanyc.org 718-961-6880, ext.
Harlem YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Harlem YMCA Outreach Center (Family Welcome Center #1) 2627 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., New
Thalia Kwok, NAWC Program Coordinator tkwok@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024
Terita Givens, NAWC / Lit Zone Partnership tgivens@ymcanyc.org
Abraham Magana, NAWC / Lit Zone Ed. Case Manager, amagana@ymcanyc.org 212-690-4024 Prospect Park YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Prospect Park YMCA Branch 357 9th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215
Nabila Khan, NAWC Program Coordinator, nkhan@ymcanyc.org 212-912-2375
Joanna Zant, NAWC Counselor jzant@ymcanyc.org 212-912-2378 Staten Island YMCA New Americans Welcome Center at the Staten Island YMCA Counseling Center 285 Vanderbilt Ave., Staten Island, NY 10304
YMCA New Americans Initiative 5 West 63rd Street; 2nd Floor New York, NY 10023 (212) 875-4336 www.ymcanewamericans.org
Beginners ESL at the New Americans Welcome Center
communicate more effectively with their
teachers, their co-workers and
came to the YMCA, daily communication
difficult for them. They shaking their heads to
yes or no, or to replying with
-word responses. Now, they
listen, respond, and formulate
skills they learned in Beginner ESL
to improve their daily lives.
New Americans Welcome Center
services at the YMCA not only touch
lives, but also gives students a
sense of hope that they can
their ambitions in life. I look forward for teaching future students and
helping them achieve their goal to learn
YMCA New Americans Initiative 5 West 63rd Street; 2nd Floor New York, NY 10023
4336 www.ymcanewamericans.org
Regina Marks, NAWC Program Counselor, rmarks@ymcanyc.org 718-981-4382, ext. 15
ELESAIR Project at the Association Office 5 West 63rd St., New York, NY 10023
Dio Gica, Program Manager dgica@ymcanyc.org 212-875-4336
Lorna Blancaflor, Program Coordinator lblancaflor@ymcanyc.org 212-875-4345
Beginners ESL at the New Americans Welcome Center