TEACHERS’ AID COALITION
EVENT SUPPORTS PUBLIC EDUCATION
Greeting Line included: Cecelia Ponzini (Morgan Hill Woman of the Year 2014)
Theresa Kiernan (Rotary Club of Morgan Hill President), Ron Woolf (Morgan Hill
Man of the Year 2017, Board of Directors Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras),
Donna Ruebusch (President of the Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of
Trustees), John Horner (Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce CEO), Steve Tate,
(Mayor of Morgan Hill), Larry Carr (Morgan Hill City Council), Rene Spring
(Morgan Hill City Council,) Rich Constantine (Morgan Hill City Council), Mike
Wasserman (Santa Clara County Supervisor District 1), Jon Hatakeyama (Teachers
Aid Coalition Founder and Morgan Hill Man of the Year 2009)
On February 11, attendees to the annual Teachers Aid Coalition’s “Chocolate
& Wine for Valentines” fundraiser were welcomed by a greeting line formed
by community leaders of Morgan Hill at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural
Center. Guests enjoyed delectable foods from local restaurants, and wines from
nearby wineries while sampling delicious chocolates. People wandered about
silent auction tables with items
ranging from opera tickets to
sports memorabilia. One item
drew much interest—a two-
bottle set of Trump Wines.
Proceeds from this event will
be used to provide local public
school teachers with much-
needed classroom supplies.
LEARNING & LOVING EDUCATION CENTER
ESPERANZA YANIRA,LANGUAGE LAB COORDINATOR
Born in El Salvador, Esperanza Yanira, the Language Lab Coordinator at the Learning and Loving
Education Center (LLEC) is a motivated and passionate person. Esperanza began working at the Center
in 2016, helping other students improve their English language skills. She also attends San Jose State
University, as a Social Work major and is doing her internship at Community Solutions and the one
program that serves youth at risk of committing gang related crimes. Esperanza is married and a mother
of three children.
Esperanza remembers her first job in the United States as a housekeeper, and how far she has come
since then. She is proud to say just how much her life has changed since she first came to the Learning
and Loving Center as a student in 2004; the Learning and Loving Center helped her gain the strength
and motivation to further pursue a higher education. “I want to be an inspiration for my children, but also
for other immigrant women.”
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
MARCH/APRIL 2017
Esperanza Yanira
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