Meet Sylv - People of MCAEL

May 18, 2022

The People at the Heart of MOCO’s English Language Learning - Meet Sylvia Granados-Maready 

It’s MCAEL’s 15 year anniversary, and we’re celebrating with a “People of MCAEL” series featuring first person insights and photos from some of the wonderful people involved in English language learning in Montgomery County, MD. You’ll find stories here and on  Facebook ,  Instagram ,  LinkedIn , and  Twitter ; please share and use our hashtag #MCAEL15. We know this coalition thrives because of committed people like you; thank you!

Today we’re introducing our third profile:  Sylvia Granados-Maready !

Meet Sylv"My parents emigrated here from El Salvador. My dad learned English at work; my mom was one of the first students in a new program at Community Ministries of Rockville (Now Community Reach of Montgomery County). She could take English classes and enroll me in their early childcare program. My mom loves learning and she instilled that in me—missing school was a punishment for me as a kid. My son feels the same! Today my mother is the site coordinator in Community Reach’s Language Outreach Program, my sister is a child tutor, and I teach adult English conversation classes. 

I’m also a MCPS high school teacher—Honors English 12 and theater. I know if I want my students to have the fervor to learn, I need to offer them community at school. My favorite production we’ve done was In the Heights. My students felt seen and heard and represented with that show, with the music, and so did I. We recently put on Macbeth, the first Shakespeare production in 20 years at our school and the first in-person in a while. I was so proud of the students. I’m going to cry when my seniors graduate. 

I love what I do, and it’s because of my immigrant parents—their desire to learn English and keep learning, their work ethic. It’s also the teachers who had a calling, the people who created programs like MCEAL and Community Reach. The director and assistant director there have known me my whole life; they’re like family. All of this, it's what’s beautiful about Montgomery County. I tell my English language students, and would tell everyone in the county, we are all human, no one is better than anyone else. We should encourage people to try new things, make mistakes and help them grow—we’re in this life together.”

Sylvia’s story is part of MCAEL’S 15th Anniversary celebration; every month we’ll highlight some of the wonderful people at the heart of our coalition. Learn more about MCAEL and its mission here: https://mcael.org. #MCAEL15

As told to Kristin O’Keefe

Still Buzzing About MCAEL’s 11th Annual Spelling Bee

By Emma Starr • May 12, 2026
With the correct spelling of funambulism (noun: the act of walking on a rope between two points elevated from the ground), the Montgomery College Spelling Bee team secured the Honeybee Trophy at MCAEL's 11th Annual Grown-Up Spelling Bee.  The competition was robust, with all five teams demonstrating impressive spelling skills. Along with Montgomery College, this year’s team line-up included Burness, Bethesda Magazine, GBCC NextExecs, and the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. Even the audience proved their prowess, spelling zenzizenzizenzic (noun: a number to the eighth power) during the Audience Spell, with a group of four audience members winning the prize (once they chased down the Bee, who had taken off with it). The event was buzzing with energy and good spirits. At the reception, guests posed in the photo booth and enjoyed refreshments while donning antennae headbands and bee sunglasses. This year’s People, Power, and Potential Award went to two women who were once English language learners themselves. Bibi Mohamed is the force behind the English language program at ISWA (the Islamic Society of the Washington Area). As Program Director, Bibi goes above and beyond to remove learning barriers for women, including childcare, housing and food insecurity, and transportation. Likewise, Milagro Flores, the CEO, Founder, and Executive Director of Mujer Fuerza y Coraje, is focused on women. She started her organization 16 years ago, when she realized that many women were facing the same challenges as she was – “difficulties communicating, limited job opportunities, and a deep fear of speaking with their children’s teachers. Many of us were also afraid to visit the doctor because we could not fully understand what was being said. We felt frustrated, isolated, and, at times, invisible.” Milagro’s words remind us of why adult English language learning is so vital. “We aren’t just supporting English classes,” MCAEL Executive Director Gerard Etienne explained in his remarks at the Spelling Bee. “Learning English is essential to workforce development, economic stability, healthcare access, safety, community connections, equity, mental health, and so much more. So, when adults learn English, the impact extends far beyond the individual – it strengthens and benefits the entire community.

From Learner to Instructor: My Journey with ESOL at ISWA

By MCAEL • March 26, 2026
Story written by Tamana Mehran

MCAEL on TV

By Emma Starr • February 18, 2026
MCAEL Executive Director Gerard Etienne sat down with Cheryl Hawkins of MMCTV’s Solutions to discuss all things MCAEL. Learn out about what MCAEL does, why it’s important, and Gerard’s own experiences as an English language learner. Watch the full 30-minute program by clicking the link above!