by Lindsay J. Patterson

David Phillipo stands at the head of the classroom. Before him are 20 adult students sitting at their desks, copying the English grammar exercises written on the whiteboard behind Phillipo into their books. Phillipo is one of several unpaid volunteers working for Alma Linguae Academies, Inc. (ALAS), a 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) non-profit organization, teaching English to immigrants six nights a week.

His students have come from all over Boston to St. Benedict’s Little Flower in East Somerville this Monday night, and before that, they have traveled thousands of miles to live in America.

“We know that there is a tremendous need to help the community with English,” said Lavinia L. Lumbreras, founder and director of Alma Linguae.

“It’s important to learn because everyone speaks English here,” said Elias, a student from El Salvador.
He said that when he first arrived in Boston, he had to bring his uncle to the store with him in order to buy something. He has watched the Spanish-speaking community grow over the past 20 years he’s lived in Somerville, and said it’s now possible to get by without speaking English.

Edwin, a student from Colombia, said through an interpreter, “There is a Latino on every street corner, but with English you can have a better life, a better job, and communicate more effectively.”

Edwin spent 7 months searching for a job, and it was extremely difficult to become employed without speaking English. Elias said that interviewers always ask: “Do you speak English” even if the language isn’t a job requirement.

Julio, also from El Salvador, said his promotion to cafeteria supervisor at Lesley College is the result of one and a half years of class at Alma Linguae.

While there are many organizations in Somerville that offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, all have long waiting lists, said Lumbreras.

“Sometimes it’s as long as 18 months,” she said. “People never have the potentiality to study. We don’t have a waiting list, which is what makes us unique,” she said.

Alma Linguae practices an open door policy, which means that even if students can’t make it to class consistently, they’ll still be accepted back when they are able to come, she said.

Lumbreras said that her organization is committed to serving as much of the community as possible. “We have the idea of helping people for a better future,” she said.

Alma Linguae was founded in 2002 while Lumbreras was still earning her Ph.D in linguistics from Harvard, which she said she completed in only four years. “I had to expedite everything to start the non-profit.”

With help from her father, Lumbreras said Alma Linguae began in a small space in Harvard Square. Her first night class consisted of 15 students, and it was completely free of charge.

During the day, Lumbreras is a professor of Spanish at Emmanuel College. This schedule is hectic and busy, but Lumbreras said it’s worth it. “My night job is even more rewarding than my day job. I leave in a better mood.”

In 2003, Father Robert McLaughlin of St. Benedict’s Parish in East Somerville offered Alma Linguae classroom space in their Little Flower building at 17 Franklin St out of the generosity of the church, she said.

Classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students are offered from 6-8:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is a Friday night class for more advanced students, and a Saturday morning class as well, in order to accommodate different schedules, she said.

The students are provided with materials at a cost of $25 and are required to do their homework for class, she said.

The classes are taught by volunteers who receive no compensation for their 6-month commitment, said Lumbreras.

Each volunteer spends at least three months as Lumbreras’ assistant teacher, said Jennifer Lawrence, who has been teaching at the school for a year. After this apprenticeship the volunteer can go on to teach on their own, from a lesson plan created by Lumbreras.

“It’s very gratifying,” said Eduardo Delacruz, who has been an assistant teacher for the past three weeks. He heard about the organization from a friend who also volunteers at Alma Linguae.

While Delacruz commutes from the North End of Boston, Lumbreras said she hopes that people within the community of Somerville with extra time on their hands will get involved with volunteering.

Lumberas needs all the help she can get. She creates all the materials for the classes herself, and corrects quizzes even while she’s riding the T, she said.

Lumbreras said she sacrifices all her free time in order to make Alma Linguae a truly caring organization. “I still find the time to call the students to check on them and to take them to attorneys, to show them where to get free help. I have gone to a hospital with one of them, I have called a landlord for another man. We’re not simply saying we’re here to teach English, but we’re saying, ‘You’re important to us.’ They’re a name and a face, not a number.”

As for its future, she said she hopes to keep Alma Linguae growing and wants to expand to day classes in order to accommodate those who work night shifts.

“We would love to have a space of our own in East Somerville,” she said. She also hopes to provide professional development courses in public and private schools for teachers to sensitize them to the immigrant community.

Most important, Lumbreras said, is to keep Alma Linguae available to everyone at a low cost with a short waiting list. “We want to keep getting better.”