Read the heart-warming story of 62 recent GED graduates who are parents of Denver Public Schools students, studying side by side.
Launched in 2022 by Denver Public School Superintendent Alex Marrero, the community hubs take a two-generation approach to improving students’ lives by helping children and parents with learning opportunities such as the GED and other services, from financial counseling to mobile medical appointments. Denver Public School Community Hubs address a holistic approach to student learning through programs and services that support families’ social, emotional, physical, academic, and basic needs. Denver Public Schools works with each identified community to build out the services most aligned to their needs.
Community Hubs is dedicated to promoting equity and inclusion in their communities. These Community Hubs celebrate diversity while addressing the unique needs of their community members. To ensure inclusivity, the staff work diligently to remove barriers and make their programs accessible. They provide physical accessibility, language accommodations, and support for diverse learning styles and abilities. They value representation and empower individuals from marginalized groups to participate and lead in their programs. Everyone in the community should have a voice and contribute to their Community Hubs’ success.
The Community Hubs also have a training-to-employment pipeline designed to increase diversity across Denver Public Schools and better reflect the city’s demographic makeup by providing skills training and resume-building classes.
The message to DPS parents is: “We want you here. That’s the magic of the community hubs,” says Community Hub Executive Director Esmeralda de la Oliva. The magic is also in the dedication of the staff. From GED instructor Mayra Laguna, who customized materials for her students, to ESL instructors to all Community Hubs staff members who are dedicated to their students’ academic achievement and overall well-being. “This is a work of love and your heart has to be in the right place. Our families deserve the best.” said De la Oliva.
On a recent Wednesday morning, adult Spanish-speaking students in a GED class practiced math and celebrated with pink-frosted cupcakes for a classmate who had passed their tests. Since 2022 the six Denver area Community Hubs have provided GED classes to hundreds of students from various countries. The learners’ ages ranged from 28 to 45. The graduating class of 62 was the largest to date.
Future plans include: expanding GED courses with a variety of hours of operation to serve more DPS families, (available in Spanish and English). Continuing the hiring pipeline through Denver Public Schools and creating stronger bonds with partnerships that can support this work and provide additional resources to our students such as accessibility to free GED testing vouchers and books.