Brockton Adult Education Alumna Shares Her Experiences with Graduates

Learning English extended well beyond a Catholic Charities classroom for Dapheka Coridon. Everywhere she went, the Catholic Charities South Adult Education program alumna carried a notebook to write down unfamiliar English words and phrases to learn later. 

She took a job in retail to put herself in situations that would require her to practice her English language skills, thus building her confidence. 

“People used to tell me to go find a job where I wouldn’t have to talk,” Coridon said. “But I thought, ‘If I’m living here, I will have to interact with people.’ I always liked customer care and thought it could help me to improve my English.” 

Coridon shared her incredible experience with this year’s graduates from the Catholic Charities South Adult Education program. At a celebratory event on Monday, June 8, in Brockton, 15 students graduated from the Level 3 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class, culminating three years of growing their skills and leaning on each other. 

“We’ve spent three years together, and it was not always easy, but God was with us every step of the way,” said Germie Tamar, one of the graduating students. “Whenever one of us felt discouraged, there was always someone to offer encouragement and remind us not to give up.”

Among the graduates were individuals working in healthcare as caregivers, students hopeful about attending college to further their job training skills, and parents who balanced caring for their families while attending classes. 

“Catholic Charities is more than a classroom,” Program Director Cheri Shaw told the graduates. “You are all part of a strong and caring community. You came here to learn English and to build a better future for yourselves and your families. And you did it.” 

Born and raised in Haiti, Coridon, the alumna speaker, came to the U.S. when it became difficult for her to access critical medication to manage her chronic illness. After learning English at Catholic Charities South, she enrolled at Massasoit Community College, where she recently completed her first year and plans to join the business program there. 

“When I first came here, I couldn’t even answer what my name was,” she told the graduates. “I’m still learning, I will never stop learning.”