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Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
 
 
Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
 
Pre-Employment Trainings
@ Spring Institute

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Hello,

We invite you to join us for a Friday afternoon graduation celebration. Graduations are scheduled for Friday April 20th and Friday May 25th. Please email me for more details. We hope to see you there!

Last month, Jan Humphreys joined the staff of Spring Institute in a new, full time role. Jan will serve as our new Student Coordinator where she will divide her time between the pre-employment training team and the Customized Intensive  English program. Jan will continue to be a lead trainer as well. Welcome Jan!
 
Thank you to all our volunteers! We are grateful for our community members and program graduates who have helped us as teacher assistants, refugee mentors, interpreters and drivers. 

Rachel & pre-employment training team
rachelgraci@springinstitute.org  

 

iPad pilot
 
Spring Institute has been using iPad devices in our classrooms. For more information, watch our short video!
 
 
volunteer
Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning

OfficeWise update

OfficeWise is our newest pre-employment program. Spring Institute has partnered with the  Accounting and Business School of the Rockies(ABSR) to offer this class for refugees with advanced English skills. The training includes time in the computer lab. Participants are trained in MicroSoft Office, online job applications and more. In the classroom, they learn clerical and interviewing skills as well as a variety of American workplace values. At the end of the program, each participant has the opportunity to job shadow at various companies and organizations in the community. 

 

Two successful cycles have now been completed. Thank you to the  Kenneth King Foundation  

for their generous support and help making these trainings possible.

OfficeWise participant

       

Kagendra graduated from  

the first OfficeWise class.  

He is now working as a  

para professional with Denver Public Schools.   

 

 

 
Volunteers of America (VOA)
service learning spotlight 

 

VOA photoVOA has partnered with the WorkWise program to provide meaningful work experience projects at both The Family Motel and a Women's shelter in West Denver. These projects allow participants to develop cleaning and painting skills while they practice their English and incorporate classroom based learning. The partnership has been mutually beneficial and we look forward to bringing our next group of participants to the VOA in May.


 

Meet the staff

Sharron Toulouse was introduced to the field of English as a Second Language Teaching and Cross Cultural Communication when she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Korea many years ago. This was the pivotal experience in her life and since then, she has taught ESL to adults in New York, Virginia, Missouri and most recently, in Colorado. She also spent 10 years as a Foreign Student Advisor at Manhattanville College in New York. Additionally, she was lucky enough to return to Korea after 30 years to teach for one year at a small Junior College.

 

Sharron first became involved with The Spring Institute about 12 years ago and has been teaching the American Culture for Au Pairs class through Spring for 10 years. She has recently become more involved with the WorkWise program and was a trainer in Workstyles.

 

The joy of working with these newly arrived refugees is an incredibly gratifying experience for Sharron. And to be involved with the highly professional and dedicated staff is a delight that she cherishes.

 



Featured Alumni
Annette Matadi  

Annette
Annette arrived in Colorado in March 2010. Originally from Congo, she had lived in South Africa for many years. She completed WorkStyles #274 and volunteered in our Women's Empowerment program. Currently, she is participating in the Colorado Welcome Back program at Spring Institute. She works for the Mobile Unit at Salud Family Health Clinic and also does data entry for Colorado Department of Public Health. Annette is studying biology at Metro State College and she aspires to be a lab technician. Her and her family are doing well! Congratulations to Annette for all her hard work and accomplishments!