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OTAN. Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.

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Speaker 2: I grew up in Vietnam, and, I came here to the United States in 2009. At the age of 10, I found out I was completely deaf in one ear. So, that was a difficult time for me because I cannot understand other people.

Speaker 3: Vietnam-- which is also my native country-- but, back then, it was very difficult, being that it was a third world country, to have the resources to help her.

Speaker 2: When I still lived in Vietnam-- I went to high school in Vietnam. My parents sponsored me. So after that, I moved to Simi Valley to live with my sister.

Speaker 3: Helen had a really thick, heavy accent, and it was hard for her to communicate clearly.

Speaker 2: I went to Simi Valley Adult School to study English first, because it's the most important, for me, to communicate with other people.

Speaker 4: And she came in with very little English skills. But she was in the ESL class, and she wanted to learn computers.

Speaker 2: My goal is to open my own salon. When I go to Simi Valley Adult School, I went to basic English class in the evening, because I work the whole day.

Speaker 5: Helen couldn't hear in one of her ears, and she never showed it. Never asked for extra help. And I'm surprised, because it's particularly hard for students to learn English, who are from Vietnam, but pronunciation and speaking is more difficult in their language.

Speaker 4: She makes sure that she knows every little bit, and she'll repeat it. She would repeat it back to me after I answered a question to make sure that she understood it, and then she'd go on and work on her own.

Speaker 2: With Burlington English program, I can practice at my home, and I've been struggling a lot with pronunciation. They taught me to guess the sound. So even those I cannot hear, but I get the sound when they move their mouth.

Speaker 1: And I believe Helen is one of the students that had the most hours using Burlington on her phone, or on the computer at home.

Speaker 2: I have to work seven days a week. That's a really, really difficult time for me, but I told myself, I cannot stop. I have to reach my goal.

Speaker 6: Sometimes she would come at-- even between 7:00 and 7:30, when the class ended at 8:30, but, she would be there. She would make it a point, because she would come as soon as she could after work.

Speaker 3: Helen was very determined to use all the resources that she had to improve her life and the life of her family, and I'm very proud to know her. Helen is a great personification of the American Dream. Being a Vietnamese immigrant myself, I realize how much work it is to come to America and start all over again.

Speaker 4: Just tickled that she's completed her goal, and has her own salon. And she is currently enrolled in my accounting class, so she wants to learn that side of her business-- make sure she knows that side of her business also. So she's still a current student with me.

Speaker 6: I happened to see her at the store, and, she said, I have my salon. I bought my salon. And I just was so excited in the middle of the grocery store. I'm taking pictures, and--

Speaker 2: I don't like to live a life as a death. But now, I succeed. Don't be scared. With my life, I'm so happy, because I go to the school. Go to school to learn something to reach your goal.

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