Library celebrates high school graduates and English learners

Celebrate Literacy event highlights work of patrons in ESL, other classes
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Library patrons continue to redefine and exemplify the concept of lifelong learning, a feat Pikes Peak Library District invites the community to celebrate.

The annual Celebrate Literacy event on Thursday, May 30, will highlight patrons who participated in Career Online High School, high school equivalency test preparation classes, and English as a second language classes.

“We watch these students work so hard for months, years at a time,” said Lacey Miller, Library Instruction Designer for Pikes Peak Library District. “After watching them put in the time and effort, we are always excited to celebrate them and their accomplishments.”

Career Online High School is a national program offered at PPLD which allows participants to earn an accredited high school diploma in less than 18 months. The program is an estimated value of $2,000 to each participant, but is available for free through scholarships provided by the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation. High school equivalency test preparation courses allow patrons to refresh on subjects and knowledge before taking the exam.

English as a second language classes at the library help people who speak a wide variety of languages to learn to speak English. One of those students, Allan Cano, was highlighted a few months ago for his work in ESL classes, which resulted in him becoming a part-time soccer coach and a volunteer in entry-level ESL classes at the library.

“Pikes Peak Library District is not just teaching you English, they help you become part of the community,” he said. “They teach you how to find transportation, to take care of your information, everything it takes to be part of the community. This is very important for me.”

Celebrate Literacy will acknowledge the accomplishments of these students as they close one chapter of their lives and begin another, thanks to the new knowledge they’ve acquired. The event will take place Thursday, May 30 from 6 - 8 p.m. in the Venue at Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr.

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Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) seeks to engage and transform people’s lives by providing equitable access to information, enrichment opportunities, and community connections via 14 facilities, online resources, and mobile library services. It is a nationally recognized system of public libraries serving a population of more than 650,000 across 2,070 square miles in El Paso County, Colo.