The Season of Thanks

It’s that time of year when people count their blessings. They take a look at their life and give thanks for the events and people who have had a big impact.

Here that the PVLA, we have so much to be thankful for. From a new director to being able to participate in Taste of Columbus, 2023 had a lot going on. Through it all, we still did what we had to to ensure that students were being taken care of and being empowered to reach their educational goals.

 

Individuals Who Make it Happen

One of the biggest things we are thankful here at the PVLA are the donors who either give their time or resources to help students. From Snack Sponsors to volunteer tutors to volunteer instructors, individuals giving what they can makes a huge impact on the lives of students.

It may not seem like a lot for students to have a cup of coffee or grab a small treat, but it means the world to them. They are working hard to improve their lives (and the lives of their families), so being able to take a break and refuel is essential.

Having instructors and tutors who freely give their time to make sure students understand a particular topic or have information to learn a new one is life-changing—literally. The topics they are learning in a class or one-on-one lessons could be exactly what they need to pass a test or apply for a better job. Without individuals willing to help out, students wouldn’t be filled with the knowledge they need to improve their lives.

 

Partnerships with the Community

Individuals play a huge role in supporting students, but we couldn’t do much without the community. Our partnership with CCC Adult Education provides the technology and classroom space, as well as the instructors and materials, that keep our students learning with the most up-to-date information.

The United Way allocates the vast majority of funding that ensures we can pay our high-quality instructors and obtain materials and technology for the classrooms.

Our newest partnership with Columbus Public Schools to offer Family Learning allows us to reach a whole new set of students and provide them with language skills that will help them and their families be successful in life.

The Family Learning classes, as well as our Integration Class, has also opened up partnerships with community members to speak directly to students about the services they have to offer. There are so many amazing individuals who have volunteered their time to talk about their jobs and their passions to ensure that our students know more about the Columbus community.

There are also the partnerships with manufacturers here in town. These companies go out of their way to schedule Outreach Classes to ensure their employees have the skills that can help them be successful at work and beyond. Whether they are learning English or conversational Spanish, these businesses are breaking down barriers and making all of their employees feel valued inside the company walls and in the larger community.

 

More to Come

This year has been incredibly busy with the development of new classes and partnerships and maintaining classes that have been in existence for a long time. The PVLA has been around since the 1980s, and we continue to thrive and survive because of the support of individuals and members of the community.

We are so thankful for our donors, whether they give of their time or money. This year may be drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean we’re done. There are still so many ways for you to support the PVLA and its mission, and there’s a whole new year to get involved and see what we have planned for our students.

Thank You!