Creating opportunity: Casa ALBA, NWTC partner to help Spanish speaking adults get GEDs

GREEN BAY - Since beginning her GED studies, Yolanda Arellano can now sit down in the evenings and help her son with his homework. 

The 34-year-old Green Bay woman left school with only a sixth-grade education while living in Mexico. 

Growing up in the state of Zacatecas in Mexico, Arellano and her siblings were expected to help in the fields because her parents were farmers. She was also expected to help with the children at home. She was needed at home more after her sister-in-law died giving birth to twins and her brother needed assistance caring for his four children.

"Education was not important for my parents," Arellano said. 

In 1999 at the age of 15, Arellano came to the United States with her brother and his children. He always encouraged Arellano to go back to school, but she felt her place was at home raising the children. 

Four years ago, she signed up to take the GED high school equivalency exams in her native language, Spanish, at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. She has been studying at Casa ALBA Melanie, the Green Bay-area Hispanic Resource Center. 

Casa ALBA offers volunteer-run GED classes Mondays and Wednesdays. 

Over the years, Arellano life changed and the importance of education grew. She and her boyfriend of 15 years have three children in whom she wants to instill the significance of education, and finishing her education is required of her as a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. 

The DACA program allowed those brought to the United States as children to apply to work legally, and obtain a Social Security number and driver's license. Former President Barack Obama implemented the program in 2012. President Donald Trump rescinded DACA in fall 2017 and legal battles have left the program and its recipients in limbo. 

"I want to be a good example for my kids, so they can continue with their education," Arellano said.  

Arellano cleans and babysits for a living. Life got in the way of studying and at one point she took a year off. 

Taking part in the classes has given her more confidence and knowledge. 

"My son started middle school and since I have been attending school myself now I can help him more with homework," she said through a translator. 

GED program 

Nine people have graduated from the program, and 15 are currently taking classes at Casa ALBA, said Pilar Campos, the center's DACA consultant who oversee GED classes and programs.

Arellano was among the first students when Casa ALBA started offering GED classes in 2014. The center started the program In response to members of the Hispanic community who wanted to complete their education but were, in many cases, facing a language barrier, Campos said.

“We contacted NWTC, they had the program in Spanish but no one was going to that because it was far away (and) so many things keep families from those classes,” Campos said. 

Now students can sign up for the Spanish-language GED at the college and study with Spanish-speaking volunteer teachers at Casa ALBA Mondays and Wednesdays. 

Students understand the concepts better in their own language even if they speak English well, Campos said. 

“It's really important for them because they start believing in themselves. They get a little time away from their families and take these 2 ½ hours to study,” Campos said.

Still, taking time away from family and work obligations can be difficult. 

Arellano found one of the hardest parts of preparing for the GED was leaving her kids and going to school. 

“Sometimes I have to bring them with me and for them to do homework while I am in class,” she said. 

Participants must complete tests in reasoning through language, arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and civics. The tests are taken at NWTC. 

Students in the program also can take to get on a particular career path and/or improve their English, said Pam Gerstner, associate dean general studies. Gerstner oversees GED program. 

The GED program is open to anyone regardless of legal status. 

Arellano only has the math test to complete before she gets her GED. After that, she wants to continue studying English. One of her regrets about not going to school earlier in life is not being fluent in English. 

Ultimately, she would like to work with children or the elderly. 

“I don’t know which of the two I would like more," she said.

Volunteers needed 

Casa ALBA is in need of Spanish-speaking volunteers to teach the GED classes. Preference is for university students or someone with background in the areas of  reasoning through language, arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and civics. 

Those interested can reach out to Casa ALBA at ​920-445-0104.