Executive Director Spotlight: It's Back-to-School for Adult Learners Too

August 25, 2026

I don’t remember my first day of high school very well, or even my first day in college, but I will never forget my first day of 8th grade or how I felt. My family and I had just arrived in the U.S. in late July, and while I had taken a year of English in the French school system, the only sentence I could say with a degree of confidence was “I don’t speak English”! I was enrolled at St. Michael’s in Silver Spring (a K-8 school that closed in 2012), and on that first day, I went up to the teacher before class started and told him, “I don’t speak English.” He said something back to me, but I didn’t understand what he said, and I went to sit back down. For the rest of that day, and many days after that, I did my best to figure out what to do, where to be, and how to navigate my day-to-day. To do my homework, I first had to use an English-French dictionary to translate it, then switch to a French-English dictionary to translate my thoughts to English. 



As difficult as that experience was, I realize that I was very lucky—I was young, I had a strong academic foundation, no financial responsibilities, no one to take care of, and I was immersed in English every day, all of which allowed me to learn the language relatively quickly. The situation for adults is very different. Many, if not most, have families to support, bills to pay, multiple responsibilities to manage, and have limited time to devote to taking English classes, all while navigating an increasingly challenging climate of immigration enforcement and economic uncertainty. Despite these challenges, thousands of adults across Montgomery County have the courage, perseverance, and determination to take classes year after year. They choose to invest in themselves even when doing so means fitting English around work schedules, childcare, transportation, and everything else life demands of them. I had the incredible advantage of being immersed in English every day and having most of my day devoted to learning. Most adults don’t have that luxury. 


As children go back to school this fall, it is worth remembering that thousands of adults are also heading to the classroom to improve their English, often after a full day of work or caring for their families. Their determination is remarkable and inspiring. We have the responsibility to make sure that every adult who wants to learn English have the opportunity, support, and access to do so. 

Executive Director Spotlight: Channeling Frustration into Purpose

By Gerard Etienne • July 23, 2026
Over the past several months, I’ve found myself avoiding the news, not because I don’t care—quite the contrary—but because the sheer volume and constant stream of “bad” news can feel overwhelming. It’s easy to feel exhausted and frustrated by problems that seem far bigger than any one person can solve. When I’m in that place, I try to remind myself that the work that my team and I do every day, the work that the nonprofit community does in MoCo—which is fundamentally about helping others—is a way to combat the harmful impact of what we see happening in the news and in our community. I may not be able to solve every problem or change harmful policies, but I can choose how I respond. I can help a neighbor, donate my time, work for a cause, advocate for someone, or support my community. Those actions may seem small, but I know for a fact that they can matter a great deal to the people receiving them. And I know they mean a great deal to me.  Helping others doesn’t solve everything, nor does it make the world’s problems disappear. But it can help to channel frustration into purpose. Even if we can’t control all that is happening, we can still have a positive impact on the people around us and on our community.

2026 MAACCE Conference

By MCAEL • June 24, 2026
Last month, MCAEL sponsored three adult ESOL professionals from the coalition to attend the Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education (MAACCE) 2026 Conference. Centered around the theme, Empowering Communities Through Education: Empowering People Where They Are, the conference brought together adult education professionals from across Maryland for workshops, resource sharing, networking, and professional learning. Anieta from Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative (GBCI) particularly enjoyed a session on scenario-based problem solving. The session "emphasized the importance of going beyond grammar and helping students become problem solvers—giving them opportunities to find their voice and advocate for themselves. This is something I am excited to continue building into my classroom." For Tanya from Identity, a standout session was Invisible Luggage: Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Not Emotional Weight. "The workshop emphasized that everyone—clients, teachers, staff—carries some form of emotional baggage, whether it’s a carry-on, a checked bag, or a whole conveyor belt. It began by prompting us to reflect on our own emotional “luggage” with the question: 'What emotional weight are you carrying right now, and has it been making decisions for you without your permission?' The concepts introduced shifted many participants’ perspectives.” Tanya appreciated the reminder that while learners and colleagues may share parts of their stories, much of what they carry remains unseen. The session reinforced the importance of approaching others with empathy and understanding.  MCAEL is grateful for opportunities to support adult ESOL professionals in accessing continuous professional development and bringing back new ideas, resources, and perspectives to their programs and the coalition.

Executive Director Spotlight: My First Year

By Gerard Etienne • June 24, 2026
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since I arrived at MCAEL as Executive Director. Time has flown by in the best way possible — a sign that I’ve been fully invested in the work. I could write a 20-page essay on what I learned and observed this past year, but I won’t do that to you! Here are a few thoughts from year one: I’m happy to be past the initial learning curve! Starting any job with this level of responsibility can feel daunting and overwhelming at times. While there is no question I still have plenty to learn (I always will), I no longer feel like the “new guy". And that feels good. Managing a coalition of ESOL organizations can be challenging, particularly when needs can vary greatly from one organization to another. The upside is that our relationship with coalition partners is collaborative, constructive, and supportive. Everyone is working toward the same goal, even if the path sometimes looks different. One of my favorite parts of the job is attending community and coalition partner events, especially ESOL graduations. These events help me stay connected to the people behind our work. They also remind me of what it was like to arrive in this country not speaking English and how limiting that was. Every graduation is a reminder of why MCAEL’s mission matters and why we should never take it for granted. Thinking back to arriving in the United States without English, I still have moments when I can’t quite believe that I am leading an organization like MCAEL. My path here was anything but straightforward, and I feel a great deal of gratitude for every challenge, every opportunity, and all the people who helped me along the way. As I look forward to the coming year, I know I am in the right place doing work that is very meaningful to me and that I am proud of. The next fiscal year will undoubtedly bring more challenges, but with an exceptional staff, a supportive and engaged board of directors, and a cohesive coalition, we have a strong foundation to meet them.