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 On behalf of the Aspire Board of Directors, volunteers, students, and professional team, I wish you and yours a very happy, safe, and healthy holiday season. When connecting with family and friends over the holidays—on Zoom or while social distancing—we have the opportunity to grow in compassion as we listen and try to more deeply understand their struggles and triumphs, as well as our own. As we moved through the merger process, we discovered that one of our strengths at Aspire was recognizing that students bring different sets of skills and knowledge to their learning experiences. When we create the space and relationships—even in an online environment—to learn about each person, their challenges, and their strengths, we can meet our students where they are on their learning journey and increase their likelihood of success. Thank you for joining us in this very challenging year as we continue our mission to develop confident, capable individuals—from early childhood to adults pursuing careers—who value learning as a gateway to a better life. - Linda K. Johnson, Ph. D Aspire President and CEO |
 As the end of the year quickly approaches, we respectfully ask you to consider an "end of year gift" to Aspire that will help support our core mission to develope confident, capable individuals—from early childhood to adults pursuing careers—who value learning as a gateway to a better life. Your gift underwrites a substantial portion of the annual cost of Early Childhood and Family Literacy; GED Preparation; Workforce Training; and English as a Second Language. Your gift will provide a crucial hand-up to our hard-working students. The events of the past year have created a greater need for the services Aspire offers to families in need. Our responsibility to build a strong financial foundation is now as important as ever. Trying times always affect at risk communities in ways that make recovery difficult. With your help we can offer families the keys to more stable, safe, and financially sound lives. From learning English or earning a GED, to balancing a family bank account or preparing for careers, with your support our students face challenges with confidence. - Paul DiBiase Chief Development Officer YES! I want to support Aspire & help use learning to turn obstacles into opportunities! |
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Student Spotlight Mariela first enrolled in Aspire's GED preparations program when she realized "I have a ninth-grader who was having trouble with his math, and I couldn't help him. He was always asking 'Mom, why didn't you finish school?' so I thought if I want to finish school, I can." This motivated Mariela to go back to school and be an example for her children, that "even though there [are] obstacles, you can overcome them." One aspect of the GED program that Mariela enjoys the most is her relationship with her teachers. "They are very enthusiastic and if they see me struggling, they want to find out where I am struggling and they want to make sure I [understand]." Mariela has distinguished herself by "showing initiative, approaching classes with a growth mindset, and following through on her commitment to study and do homework outside of class," said Career Pathways and GED Prep Director Angela Eng. We look forward to welcoming Mariela back for spring online classes. |
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A Message to our Volunteers Hello Aspire Volunteers, Thank you for your support in 2020. This has been a year like no other. The year started with the exciting announcement that the Aberg Center for Literacy and LIFT would join forces as Aspire. We were then forced to change our entire mode of operation to virtual classes as the COVID-19 crisis grew. In the spring we were able to provide limited classes on-line. This turned out to be a great opportunity to experiment and test what works and does not work for our students and online education. In July the merger was complete, and we began preparing for a fall semester with a full set of classes. With your support and service, we were able to welcome back a large portion of our students to a full semester of online classes. We want to thank you for your remarkable service during these difficult times. It has not been easy. There are many new skills we had to bring to bear. Through all of this we should all take pride in what we have been able to accomplish. We have all demonstrated resilience in the pursuit to improve our community. As we end this year, the staff at Aspire wish you a happy and safe holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in 2021. We will continue to deliver our classes virtually in the Spring semester and we all look forward to the day when we can hold our classes in person at our various sites around Dallas. Best Wishes and Thank you, Bob Kersey |
Spring 2021 Semester Contact us now to schedule your appointment to enroll in online classes for the spring semester. Aspire provides English classes for all levels, GED preparation in English and Spanish, and Foundations (to strengthen reading and math). Classes are offered in the morning and evening and meet twice each week. Please call 214.824.2000, ext. 3209 or 3210 or email information@AspireToLearn.org to schedule your appointment. For more information, please click the Learn More link below. |
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| Dr. Linda K. Johnson Aspire President and CEO “A lifetime of learning helps us give the best of ourselves to our communities.” |
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  Copyright ©2020 Aspire • Aspire is a 501(c)(3). Our registration number is 75-1095223. |
