INSIDE
: Whitehall board lifts Van Wieren’s interim tag Volume 2, Issue 34 JANUARY 17, 2025
REFLECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
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Village of Shelby New Community English course is a success Sharon Hallack • Contributed Photo completes Sixth Street ByThe Oceana Echo Community Correspondent hill sidewalk project By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
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Shelby Village Administrator Phil Morse gave a public “shoutout” to Shelby Township Zoning Administrator Bill Glover at the Village of Shelby’s Dec. 9 council meeting. Glover was project manager for the long-awaited Sixth Street hill sidewalk reconstruction leading to the cemetery. The project was finally completed at the end of last year. “Bill was there almost every day. He was meticulous and made sure it was done right. As a result, it’s probably going to last 100 years,” said Morse. Recent posts on the Village of Shelby YouTube channel shorts videos include recently installed Getty Park security cameras, how to operate the fireplace at Getty Park pavilion, snowmobile parking at Getty Park and the village’s sidewalk snow clearing and maintenance procedure. Com-
munity members are invited to subscribe to “Village of Shelby 218” on YouTube to hear these important updates. The posts are listed under the “Shorts” tab. In preparation for the closing of the Shelby United Methodist Church building in December, the Village of Shelby and Shelby Township had discussed the possible shared ownership of the building as a Village/Township Hall. “After looking at the cost of utilities, without a guarantee of income to help offset the costs, my recommendation is that we pass on the idea for now. The township has voted to pass on the idea for now as well,” stated Morse in his report to council Monday. Morse has posted the Shelby Chainsaw Carving Festival on Facebook and has 257 people interested in the event. He is currently connecting with more carvers and food truck vendors in hopes of holding the festival in early July. Shelby Chief of Police Dean Roesler was pleased to announce the police department was the recipient of a new AED (Automated External Defibrillator) from the Heykoop family in memory of Shelby icon, Darwin “Doc” Heykoop, who passed away in December. Roesler went on to report that both patrol cars now have AEDs, and he is pricing out another unit for the village hall.
This past December, West Shore Community College (WSCC), in partnership with the Oceana Hispanic Center, completed its first-ever Community English course. For their final assignment, 14 ESL (English as a Second Language) students from Oceana County gave 10-minute presentations to small groups of students and staff in the college’s library during finals week. Their presentations relayed their experiences as part of the class and discussed the strategies they used to further their grasp of the English language. “Everyone at the college is still talking about how successful this first class and experience was,” Administrative Assistant - Student Records for WSCC and Oceana Hispanic Center Director Irma Hinojosa said. “As the area’s Hispanic population has increased, we have been wanting to offer a college-level class to not only help individuals improve their English-speaking abilities, but increase their comprehension, so that they could someday take other college courses.” The idea of a Community English class actually began back in 2019, Hinojosa said. However, due to the lack of an available instructor followed by the pandemic, the class had to be delayed. Following graduation in May of 2024, Hinojosa set to work getting the course ready for the college’s fall semester. A list of possible students were contacted, class supplies were purchased with a grant requested by the Oceana Hispanic Center from the Oceana Community Foundation, and an instructor was found who was available to teach in the evenings. “Our Associate Professor of English, Paula Rolim, was the perfect fit. A Brazilian by birth, English is Rolim’s second language as well. She taught the entire class in English and required her students to speak only English as well. In addition, the college provided an embedded Spanish-speaking tutor who was able to offer translation help when necessary,” Hinojosa said. The Community English course was designed to provide a safe space where English learners can discuss language strategies and build confidence. One way that was accomplished was by practicing English with native speakers in the community, Rolim explained. “The whole point of the class was to help non-native English
speakers enhance their compre- fluently.” hension and expression skills Since the completion of the while connecting with their lo- class, Rodriguez, Navarrete and cal community. Throughout the Hernandez talked about what they course, we focused on develop- are currently doing to continue to ing vocabulary, pronunciation, improve their English-speaking reading fluency, grammar, con- skills. versation, and presentation skills. “I try to speak English with my During the fall semester, students little ones. My oldest daughter is shared their own stories and those 22; she has helped me a lot. I ask of other community members. In her about certain words,” Hernanthe winter semester, we will con- dez said. tinue the blog series, with each “I’m a homemaker and student presenting a project they babysitter, so not a lot of practice develop to address a specific need with adults,” Navarette said. She or challenge in the community,” excitedly took a copy of The OceaRolim continued. na Echo out of her bag that had the When asked what they found press release announcing their fimost helpful or eye-opening as a nal project presentations. “I read result of taking the class, student The Oceana Echo every week!” she Victor Rodriguez shared that part said. of the class required students to re“My supervisor notices a big cord themselves reading or speak- difference. I’m a fabricator and ing their assignments. “We sent welder. I want to go to college and them to Professor Rolim on our get the certification I need,” RodriCanvas account, and she would guez said. offer suggestions and corrections,” “The purpose of the class is to Rodriguez said. “We made our give students the confidence to own flash cards for the words we go to the next level and take a coldidn’t know and practiced with lege class. After this class, you’re each other in class.” all ready to,” Hinojosa told them. A big part of the class, Rodri- “West Shore is already looking at guez said, was reading for compre- how to make the class better. Pauhension and with the appropriate la’s personality is perfect for this expression. One of the tools Rolim class. She is very engaging and fun. used was to show movie clips in A second class session will be ofEnglish and have students explain fered for the original 14 students what the characters were talking plus two additional students startabout. ing Jan. 15, 2025.” Another student, Alma NavarLanguage learning thrives in rete, added, “I’m shy. The class meaningful contexts and social pushed me to speak more. Every- interactions. The goal of the Combody was speaking English. It gave munity English course is to create me confidence. Not just speaking, opportunities for students to pracbut reading, studying, compre- tice the language while actively hending, and grammar. The class contributing to this growing town, has helped out in everyday life.” said Professor Rolim. Student Gisela Hernandez “The(se) students have learned confessed, “It was very hard, but a so much and grown as community very good experience. I want to say members. They took the challenge, it was a different way to learn. She traveled unknown ground, and in pushed me to do better.” the end were successful and flour“This was the very first English ished through the process. This class I’d ever taken,” said Rodri- class gave them the opportunity to guez. “Before, I just learned it at express themselves and bring light work. What I needed for my job. to treasured stories and experiencThe class helped me a lot. I learned es that they shared with the coma lot of new words and how to talk munity. I cannot even begin to exto others. My supervisor (at work) press how proud I am of each and asked me why I was going; he said, every one of them. Watching this ‘You know English.’ But in my work transition happen was remarkI have to be able to read instruc- able, and I cannot wait to see what tions (and) fill out paperwork. Af- new things they learn and explore ter the class I feel I can speak more in the next class,” Hinojosa shared. Lee esta historia en español en la página 2.