With a buzz of pride and anticipation in the air, and surrounded by friends, loved ones, and even former fellow students, 120 adults who spent the last eight months learning to speak and write English with Ruta 27 — Programa de Inglés showcased their newly honed skills at the East Hampton Library last week.
In songs, short plays, and original speeches in English, the students took turns demonstrating the progress they made this year. Andrew Visconti, a volunteer teacher and board member of the nonprofit Ruta 27 organization, said they did a great job in their classes.
The ceremony is "a way to make them feel proud" and "an opportunity to celebrate their achievements," he said at the April 16 event.
The students "work really hard," he said, "and we have to commend the fact that they make time to study, because they have families. Many of them don't even live locally, maybe they have to go west of the canal. So the idea [is] ending the year by saying, 'This is what you've accomplished. This is what Ruta has accomplished.' "
The students are divided into six levels ranging from beginner to advanced, and attend classes every Tuesday at East Hampton High School. Louise Bergerson, who teaches and co-directs the program, said this year Ruta 27 enrolled 220 students — double the enrollment of just two years ago — "with 100 more on the wait list."
Ruta 27 aims to provide students with a warm, welcoming place for their confidence with English to grow. Malena Garcia, a student in Level 6, the most advanced group, is an example of its success.
"Before Ruta 27, I was super shy," Ms. Garcia said. "I didn't want to talk with anyone in the street, in any place, in the shop. Now I feel better to know people and talk with people. It has been a great impact on my life."
She and her classmates performed a short play. Other students read personal stories in English that talked about significant events in their lives, such as becoming parents for the first time or embarking on harrowing journeys from their home countries to arrive in the United States.
As for what's next for Ruta 27, Mr. Visconti says that more volunteer teachers are needed when classes start up again in September.
"The good thing about Ruta is that it has grown organically," he said. "Basically, the students have knocked at our door and we have tried to accommodate them. . . . The main goal is to have volunteers. The more qualified volunteers we have, the better we can serve our students."
With Reporting by Christine Sampson
