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World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day, international observance on June 20th of every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. According to the UNHCR, forced displacements tops 70 million globally, the largest in the organization’s 70-year history. (Source: UNHCR)

Here at Tacoma Community House (TCH), we continue to provide a safe place for our refugee communities to thrive. We learn from our refugee community members through their strength, courage, and resilience. With compassion, TCH will always stand with refugees because we are stronger together. In 2018, TCH served more than 100 refugees from multiple countries.

Interested in supporting our work, make a contribution today.

Education ESL

Project I-DEA

The Education Department at Tacoma Community House launched a pilot program, Project I-DEA, with the intent to increase digital, career and college-readiness skills of adult English students. The Integrated Digital English Acceleration (I-DEA) Program targets adult learners in the lowest levels in English as a Second Language classes.  Supported by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, TCH is in the third year of the program in collaboration with all community and technical colleges.

Students have access to new laptops and technology – enhanced resources thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ELA (English Language Acquisition) students are learning through a flipped model, where they do pre-work before coming to class to practice their skills. Lessons are broken into modules and students do about eight hours of one-on-one time a week – with an additional eight hours of work at home.

Even though we are in the first quarter of a three-quarter pilot, students seem to be enjoying the class. Amy Diehr, Education Services Director says, “We are all learning this quarter.  Students are learning how to use a computer and learn English while staff are learning how to wrap lessons with pre-work rather than homework.”

Project I-DEA already shows great promise. By the end of the program, I-DEA learners will increase their English language, digital skills and progress along career and college pathways toward family-wage jobs.

Interested in supporting our work? Make a contribution today.

Education GED Success Story

Meet Corey

Former education participant, Corey, returned to Tacoma Community House recently to show his gratitude to the community that encouraged him to take and pass the GED® tests. Corey explained that he dropped out of high school in D.C. during his junior year. He fell behind in his studies and eventually slipped so low that he gave up. Corey spent some years in the state of Washington as an adolescent, so when he moved back, he began taking Adult Basic Education classes at TCH in September 2012. It was “redo part two” for Corey. He decided to come to TCH because his father had taken classes here as well.

Corey credits his teacher at TCH, saying, “I only had one class and that was for science, math, reading. I only had one teacher, and she was definitely great! I was only in the course for maybe two or three weeks. I was scoring high on the pre-test she gave me,
so she told me to go take the GED® tests. She told me, ‘just go.’ I went and I passed the first time!”

Corey is currently attending Tacoma Community College and focusing on Communications and Broadcasting. “I want to one day be a news broadcaster. No, not for sports. I would hope to be an anchor.” He shared that he aspires to do meaningful work like Oprah Winfrey.

He encourages others to further their education and pursue their dreams. “For anyone that still has time to get your education from elementary, middle, and high school I strongly recommend you to do all of that while you can. That’s something that I wish I would’ve known before.”

GED® classes are held Monday through Thursday and serve students in Washington state. The Adult Basic Education (ABE) program helps students with basic skills as well as GED® level work. 

Interested in supporting individuals like Corey, make a contribution today.