Veronica Trejo’s decade-long engagement with Ysleta Community Learning Center is a testament to the transformative power of adult education. For years, Ms. Trejo diligently pursued ESL courses, building a foundation for her future. However, it was the introduction of the CDL Class-B Certification IET course that truly ignited her career aspirations and set her on a path to remarkable achievement. Initially, during her IET course interview, Ms. Trejo’s spoken English skills appeared to be at a High Beginning Educational Functioning Level, seemingly below the required language proficiency for the demanding certification. Despite this initial assessment, Veronica Trejo’s unwavering resolve shone through. She passionately conveyed her deep commitment, persistent nature, and strong study habits, arguing these qualities would ensure her success in the Class-B Certification program. This opportunity, she emphasized, was the key to “finally making a career.” It was at this moment that the instructors at Ysleta Community Learning Center recognized Ms. Trejo’s exceptional drive and determination.
The technical instructor for the IET program initially had reservations, concerned that Ms. Trejo’s communication skills might hinder her comprehension and collaboration within the class environment. However, the basic skills instructor stepped in as a strong advocate, implementing targeted learning strategies to specifically enhance Veronica’s speaking abilities and introduce her to the nuances of distance learning. This instructor became a pivotal champion in Veronica’s journey at the Ysleta Community Learning Center. Over the ensuing five months, Veronica faced challenges in grasping the course material and refining her oral communication. Yet, her persistence was unwavering. She consistently sought to deepen her understanding of the content and improve her spoken English. Gradually, Ms. Trejo began to flourish within the classroom setting. Demonstrating initiative and a proactive approach to learning, she voluntarily created PowerPoint presentations summarizing previous lessons. She would then confidently share and present these summaries to her fellow classmates, reinforcing her own learning and aiding her peers.
A significant component of the bus driver certification exam is the “Pre-Trip” oral presentation, a demanding hour-long assessment. Candidates must meticulously inspect a bus, naming and describing the condition of over 300 items, ranging from dashboard gauges and security features to engine components, suspension, brakes, tires, lights, windows, steps, and latches. Recognizing the scale of this challenge, Veronica, with the dedicated support of her instructor at Ysleta Community Learning Center, developed a comprehensive monologue detailing each item. Ms. Trejo revealed that it took her over two months of dedicated study to memorize all the parts before she could confidently explain their function and condition. Ultimately, Veronica Trejo emerged as a standout student in the class, achieving early success by being among the first to pass all four tests required for the CDL Learner’s Permit.
In June 2017, Veronica’s inspiring journey reached a wider audience when the Far West Consortium invited her to be the keynote speaker at the FWAEC Summer PD Institute conference. She eloquently recounted her personal experiences as an ESL learner in an IET class at the Ysleta Community Learning Center, emphasizing how her persistence, unwavering commitment, and positive attitude were instrumental to her achievements. Continuing her trajectory of success, Ms. Trejo passed her driving test with flying colors in the last week of August. Her hard work and dedication culminated in her being one of the first individuals hired as a school bus driver for the Clint Independent School District. Veronica Trejo’s story stands as a powerful example of the life-changing opportunities provided by the Ysleta Community Learning Center and the remarkable potential within every determined learner.
