DENVER — Since the start of the school year, nearly 4,000 new to country students have joined Denver Public Schools as migrant families settle into the Denver area.
Now, DPS is seeing another influx -- this time in interest from adults in their English as a Second Language classes. Many of those adults are ready to learn the language they'll need to succeed in their new country.
At the DPS Central Community Hub Monday morning, class was in session. Gino Contreras paid close attention to the lessons. He and his wife, Leticia Silva, moved to the U.S. two years ago.
"I'm a lawyer. I'm from Venezuela. I'm coming here because the situation is very complicated in my country," Gino said.
Gino said they came to the U.S. to seek asylum in fear of political persecution.
"It's very, very dangerous," he said.
So they came ready for a fresh start. He got to work right away.
"In this moment, I have three jobs - with the Rockies of Colorado," he said.
He signed up for ESL classes to make sure he'd be able to converse with people at work.
ESL teacher Michael Ard said his students always come eager to learn.
"The majority of our students are DPS parents, so a lot of them, their student, their kids, are speaking English and they're trying to understand what their kids are saying with their friends or they're trying to follow along on their kid's homework," Ard said. "They're really eager to engage and learn English as much as they can."
With many migrant families settling in Denver, the number of adults wanting to learn English is growing. More than 650 adults are currently enrolled in ESL classes, according to DPS.
"We actually added an extra morning class just for newcomers and for people who don't speak English really at all," Ard said. "So we added that class to accommodate that pretty big influx that we had last semester."
"It's important to be in another country to learn the language. It's basic. It's very, very important," said Gilnia Contreras, Gino's daughter.
Gilnia is also taking ESL classes here. So is Gino's wife, Leticia Silva.
"Yes, I need to learn English to grow more within this country," Leticia said. "I have a bachelor's in sociology and in my country, I was a professor. So, I would also like to give back more than what I am currently giving to expand [this country] more, help this country more because I am truly very grateful because I have been treated so well."
With Gilnia's son, a senior at East High School, the family now has three generations learning within DPS.
"Well, it's wonderful. We need to practice together," Gilnia said, laughing.
"Because I teach Gino and Gilnia, his daughter, separately, it took me several months to realize they were actually father and daughter," Ard said.
What they're learning will give this family and many others the skills they'll need to succeed in their new life here.
"And it's a very wonderful opportunity for us, like a family, and for all the immigrants that just came to this country and need to learn the language," Gilnia said.
DPS offers four levels of ESL classes at its six community hubs around town. They're open to parents of DPS students and to adults living in Denver, and they're all free.
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