People

When Theresa Pagano visited the National Louis University Latino Outreach Program in Chicago, Illinois, she witnessed the impact it had on the literacy development of Latina women and their children. The program provides tutoring, mentoring and academic and career advising to help members of the Latino community reach their fullest potential. It was that trip that inspired Pagano to bring the programming back to Central New York.

Upon her return, Pagano was concerned to learn that less than ten Latino children were involved in early childhood education in the community and that, due to language and socio-economic barriers, many of local Latino families lacked an awareness and understanding of the importance of early childhood development. It wasn’t long before she established Partners in Learning – a small group, but one passionate in its desire to change the statistics in the community.

Ever since its inception, Partners in Learning has assisted children and adults in their literacy journey. One of its early programs, MANOS Dual Language Early Childhood & Intergenerational Learning Program (MANOS), is designed to provide Latino youth under the age of five and their caregivers with new and impactful educational experiences based upon activity-driven learning. The program is currently offered at Delaware Elementary and Seymour Dual Language Academy.

Volunteers, parents, caregivers and teachers collaborate to sustain a comprehensive and culturally responsive learning environment, and to nurture a sense of confidence in participants. Pagano was pleased to bring educational resources to the Latino community to help them overcome language barriers through their engagement in the program. In 2021, MANOS served over 60 children, ages 3-4, and over 90 caregivers and parents. In addition, home-based learning programs supported 16 children, and 28 caregivers, respectively.

In addition to its MANOS program, Partners in Learning broadened its impact in the Latino community in 1992 by establishing the West Side Adult Learning Center in partnership with the Syracuse City School District. The Center’s focus on adult learning principles makes it a vital part of the community serving more than 700 learners in their efforts to be productive workers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and engaged citizens.

The Center provides a number of programming opportunities to help adults find and succeed with maintaining long-term employment. The Vocational Employment Skills for Emergent Bilinguals Program (VESEB) provides job readiness training including assistance with translating foreign credentials, résumé and cover letter development and interview preparation. Participants gain lifelong skills and support to help secure jobs and navigate community resources.

More specifically, the organization’s Diversity in Early Education & Care (DEEC) Initiative provides specialized services and training for adults that are interested in pursuing a career in childcare. Participants have hands on training opportunities and receive assistance with securing necessary training and credentials to start a licensed Family Day Care or become a NYS Certified Teaching Assistant. In 2021, both VESEB and DEEC assisted over 50 participants.

Due to its hard work and tenacity, Partners in Learning continues to break down barriers, and provide accessible bilingual education. As stated in its mission, “Together, we all strive to learn, earn and live well in Syracuse and Onondaga County.”

Inside a bright green classroom tucked cozily on the first floor of the North Side Learning Center, Linda Smith is at home in front of the classroom.

“I love seeing the students when they really—when they really grasp it,” said Smith, program director of The Learning Place (TLP). “I just feel so happy when a student starts speaking and listening more confidently.”

For more than 20 years, TLP has served as an adult education center and community space for language and literacy programming in Central New York. In March 2020, with the help of a grant from the Central New York Community Foundation’s Strategic Partnership Fund, TLP co-located to the North Side Learning Center (NSLC) after selling its facility on the city’s Eastside.

In the last ten years, Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood has become home to many resettled New Americans, with the majority of non-English speakers in Onondaga County calling Northside home.

The Learning Place, founded by the late Phyllis Newland in 1990, aimed to expand the then- typical one-on-one tutoring approach to adult literacy by creating a neighborhood-specific literacy center where people had a place to socialize, gather, and learn together. The move to the city’s Northside continues this tradition, and meets the needs of residents living there.

“The Eastside neighborhood has changed. What used to be an area where residents could walk across the street to TLP, is now filled with high-end housing geared to university students,” said Mark Cass, NSLC’s executive director. “We saw the need on the Northside.”

The NSLC is a family literacy and community resource center rooted in the Northside neighborhood of Syracuse. For a decade, the center has been tailoring youth and adult language and literacy instruction to the needs of the Northside’s large New American population. Its adult programming specializes in early English learning and regularly refers people for services like GED courses.

Now, the co-location offers and expansion of targeted services to the Northside that would have been referred elsewhere while reducing fixed operating costs.

On the back wall of the classroom, Smith proudly displays her Wall of Fame, gold stars with the names of students that passed New York State’s HSE/TASC, formerly known as the GED. Cass said Smith holds students to a high standard and believes in them when they don’t believe in themselves.

“I’m going to figure out what you need and what you want. I’m not going to teach you what you know,” Smith said. “I’m going to find out what you don’t know and we’re going to work on that.”

In 2009, Randy Flath traveled as a guardian with his father on a mission with Honor Flight Rochester. As one of the many hubs of the national Honor Flight Network, the organization works to help every willing and able war veteran obtain a flight or bus trip to visit the National WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. The trips are completely free of charge and funded by donations and gifts.

While there, Flath observed the smiles and gratitude of the veterans at the memorial and throughout the trip. After seeing how much this experience meant to his father and the other veterans on the mission, he was determined to bring a similar experience to the veterans of Central New York.

Flath is now the President and co-founder of Honor Flight Syracuse. As president, he leads the board to coordinate missions and ensure the growth and stability of its programming.

“Due to the advancing age and fixed income of World War II veterans, many are unable to visit the memorial that was built and designed in their honor,” he said. “The experience provides veterans with a chance to go to the memorial where they are honored.”

During the missions, each veteran is accompanied by a volunteer guardian to ensure a safe and comfortable experience. When arriving back at the airport after each mission, they are greeted with a warm welcome of bagpipers, friends and neighbors who gather there to mark the final leg of their journey with a show of gratitude.

“We not only want to give veterans the chance to see the meaningful memorial, but to remind them that their service and sacrifices for our country are still appreciated every day,” said Flath. “Veterans have reported that it is truly an immeasurable experience.”

Although for some a mission can be a solemn trip of difficult memories, they are able to experience it together with their comrades from their days of service, family members and caring volunteers by their side. Families of veterans have reported that the tours have stirred memories that the veterans shared with their loved ones for the first time ever and ultimately brought family members closer together to record history for future generations.

Since inception in May of 2012, the Syracuse hub has completed ten missions, carrying more than 600 veterans ranging in age from 86-101 years old.