"ACLAMO has always tried to offer the community a pleasant home-like environment, however, the downstairs waiting area and the social workers' offices in our Norristown location were looking a bit worn", said Guerra. "We wanted to change the character and look of the space to reflect a warmer, more colorful atmosphere. Thanks to the Upper Main Line Rotary Club volunteers,  ACLAMO is now transformed! We are extremely grateful to the Rotary Club for their generous gift of time and talent, and Sherwin Williams for donating the paint for this project. We look forward to many more such collaborations."
 

This month, five Bryn Mawr students were given the chance to teach English to the English Language Learner (ELL) moms of ACLAMO Family Centers. These five women, Jessica, Hazara, Ana, Esther, and Samantha, are part of a program at Bryn Mawr called LEAP. The Leadership Empowerment and Advancement Program (LEAP) encourages undergraduate students to explore the different elements of leadership and offers them practical tools which will enable them to confidently take on leadership roles in many areas of their lives. This program culminates in an end of the year leadership project sometimes made available by the Civic Engagement Office. Since all group members have parents whose primary language is not English, they felt drawn to create a project at ACLAMO with the ELL moms. The group approached me as the partnership liaison for ACLAMO to help organize and oversee a project at ACLAMO. After meeting with the director of adult education, Marla Benssy, to help guide the best activities for the moms, the group planned their itinerary.

 

The morning of the project, the group arrived at ACLAMO with arms full of yoga mats, garden supplies and snacks. Their goal for the morning was to have interactive activities that would not only help the moms practice their English, but also provide some tips for healthy living. The moms looked skeptical at first, but soon warmed up to the students and participated in each activity. Not only did the group teach the moms how to use garden boxes, the process of pollination, how to stretch out sore muscles and relax through yoga, and where to look for nutrition facts, but they also learned new English words associated with all of these tasks. The LEAP students in turn learned from the moms about what healthy foods they choose to eat, and what they grew in their gardens back in Mexico. At the end of the morning, the students participated in a game with the moms to learn their likes and their dislikes. For me, this was the most exciting part of the morning. The moms and students worked together to explain the rules of the game, and also laughed and had a great time together. Even though the students had never met the moms before, as the students were leaving the moms asked, "Will you be coming back?" It was amazing how quickly the bond between the two groups formed.

 

Cathy Chezik, Praxis Field Placement Coordinator

Bryn Mawr College's Civic Engagement Office

 

 

Personal Profile: Krystal Marte 

 

  

Krystal assisting Adaline and Carina in the Computer Lab during ACLAMO's After School Program 

 

When 21 year-old Krystal Marte attended Bryn Mawr College majoring in History and Russian, she never thought that it would lead her full circle back to her Latino heritage. The oldest of three sisters, Krystal was born of Dominican parents in the Bronx section of New York. "My family moved to Newark, New Jersey, where I grew up as a child of immigrants," she shared.  

 

Early in life, Krystal's abilities were recognized and earned her a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school in New Hope, PA. From there, Krystal pursued her education at Bryn Mawr College. While appreciating the level of academics there, she shared that she missed her Spanish roots at Bryn Mawr. "I wanted to reconnect with my heritage and help Hispanic children. Here at ACLAMO, I found children whose lives are similar to mine". Kristal went on to say, "Bryn Mawr taught me to question, but I wanted to go into the world and ask!" According to Kristal, coming to ACLAMO has been a wonderful opportunity, offering her practical and rewarding real world experience with the children through the After School Program.

 

"Krystal has been great with the children", said Marla Benssy, Director of Adult Education and School Age Programs, "She applies her own life's lessons in the way she assists the children. She has been a real asset to our program".