Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Two years ago the Kosciusko Community Foundation introduced a language program offered in the county that is about to expand into northern Indiana.
Reality Spanish, developed by Colorado-based LingoLynx, offers language training in the areas of law enforcement, healthcare and in work places.
Monday, Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman will present the managing organization, Health Care Foundation of Kosciusko County, a $149,970 grant to expand the program regionally.
The Health Care Foundation has become the language program's sponsor.
The Health Care Foundation's PUENTE is an outreach program dedicated to helping Hispanic residents become comfortable with the United States' culture.
Reality Spanish helps bridge language barriers, not by teaching fluency, but by teaching smaller bits of Spanish phrases particular to a certain setting.
LingoLynx director and Reality Spanish co-creator Gaye Tiepel said, "At the beginning of December, we'll have Reality Spanish for the construction, service, manufacturing and production and banking industries.
"Reality Spanish addresses the need for everybody to learn some connective language which enriches everyone."
The company has programs in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant will allow the Health Care Foundation to expand Reality Spanish into 16 additional counties: Marshall, Elkhart, Noble, Whitley, Wabash, Fulton, St. Joseph, LaGrange, Steuben, DeKalb, Allen, Adams, Wells, Huntington, Miami and Cass by the end of 2008.
The money also will be used to train new instructors and advance the skills of current instructors.
"We could not be more thrilled to receive the funding to be able to expand Reality Spanish throughout northeast Indiana," Tracie Hodson, Health Care Foundation director, said. "The program has the potential to have an incredible impact on communities. As people begin to connect through language, the cultural barriers many of us encounter will come tumbling down, improving relationships between neighbors.
"In addition, the increased productivity, safety and communication on the job will ripple throughout our local economies as our workforce becomes able to better communicate with co-workers, customers and clients. We see the Reality Spanishª Program having a tremendous impact on every community that utilizes it."
Reality Spanish instructors must have a high proficiency in both English and Spanish, be comfortable with teaching techniques and passion for language that connects people.
There are 32 certified instructors serving Kosciusko County and the surrounding areas.
These instructors include: Diego Basalo, Kelly Basalo, Lisa Chapin, Kelly Clark, Josh Cryer, Julia Fugate, Tertuliano Giraldo, Emily Guerrero, Alane Haney-Russell, Jamie delaFuente, Nance Heimann, Wade Jagger, Rosy Jansma, Lindsay Lewis, Neomi Malagon, Gretchen Moore, David Morales, Alice Navarro, Kirstyn Niebbia, Maria Peacock, Leslie Raymer, Gloria Reichard, Jose Luis Rivera, Jenny Shilling, Norma Terrazas, Alicia Trejo, Robyn Valdizon, Yesenia Vetor, Kris Walker, Susan Walker, Vicy Whisenant and Ty Ziegler.
They teach courses that involve the students with storytelling activities. Participants learn immediately useful Spanish phrases, commands and vocabulary.
The course includes a CD-ROM to provide material between classes.
For more information about Reality Spanish, call Hodson at 574-268-2273.
On the Net: www.realityspanish-ne-in.com
