In the spring of 2024, John Hamer, President of Rodgers Wade, reached out to PISD with a remarkable proposal: to have PISD teachers instruct his Spanish-speaking employees in English, and in return, provide English-speaking employees an opportunity to learn conversational Spanish. This initiative was extended to the employees of Rodgers Wade’s sister companies in Paris, TX.
The collaboration has seen a significant turnout, with a total of sixty-three students attending the ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. Among these, forty-three students are employees of Rodgers Wade, and twenty students are parents affiliated with PISD. Additionally, twenty-seven students are participating in the Spanish conversational classes, which consist of Rodgers Wade employees and employees from their sister companies.
These language classes happened on Fridays, excluding weeks with professional development sessions or holidays. The sessions took place at the PJH campus, utilizing eight classrooms: five dedicated to ESL instruction and three for the Spanish conversational classes.
John Hamer, President of Rodgers Wade, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “There are numerous work-related benefits to learning English or Spanish. We are most excited for the opportunity that our staff got in learning a genuine life skill that has a positive impact both in the community as well as in personal life.” He encouraged participants, “Do not be afraid to make mistakes! Learning a language requires effort and applied practice. You will not be judged for stumbling through a conversation. Effort alone is a respect to your peers and advances practical understanding and confidence.”
Rodgers Wade’s commitment to their employees is evident in their support for this initiative. By investing in their employees’ language skills, they aim to enhance workplace communication, daily interactions, and community engagement. To facilitate this, Rodgers Wade allowed their employees to attend sessions either at the beginning or end of their shifts, ensuring no loss of pay during their participation.
Upon completion of all sessions, a celebration was held to honor the students’ dedication and achievements. During the celebration they recognized ESL students for perfect attendance and one student from each class that had accumulated the most learning hours in the computerized Burlington English program. The ESL classes were a blend of English instruction by the teacher with hands-on activities and the Burlington English software. For the Spanish conversation class, two awards were given. One for growth and effort and one for personality and humor. This collaboration between Rodgers Wade and PISD not only fostered language skills but also strengthened community ties and personal growth for all involved.
