Several southwest Detroit residents learn that it's never too early - or too late - to get an education, thanks to a partnership between Wayne State University's Spanish department and Centro de San Jose.
Centro de San Jose is a tutoring project in southwest Detroit that tutors grade school students in math, reading and English as a second language. Wayne State students participate and assist in these tutoring sessions.
Luisa Quintero, senior lecturer within the Spanish department, said that these tutoring sessions build the confidence of the youth students and the tutors.
"It's been an incredible experience for our Spanish students," said Quintero. "They are finally able to realize the power they have - the power to speak Spanish and help these kids with it. It was a huge motivation."
Students within the Wayne State Spanish department also assist in tutoring adult members of the southwest Detroit community.
La Casa Guadalupana, an extension of Centro de San Jose, is a program that helps adult students work on literacy skills in both English and Spanish with the goal of achieving a secondary certification.
La Casa Guadalupana recently held its first graduation ceremony. Fifteen adult women received their elementary and high school certification, and one adult male received his GED. Wayne State students Micheal Chiumento and Kenneth Valley - as well as Quintero and senior lecturer Marilyn Rashid - were also recognized for their contributions to the program.