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Centro education center opens
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By Lisa Cromwell
The Hillsboro Argus
The Argus


CORNELIUS - Centro Cultural's director promises a musical, tasty, interesting opening of a new adult education center Aug. 24 at 1110 N. Adair St.

"It's going to be fun, and we're going to have some good food and music," Sabino Sardineta, Centro's director, said of the grand opening of Plaza Comunitaria, its Adult Educational Community Center. "We're also going to show the community a place where Latino adults and others can get the classes they need to be more productive in their work and in their lives."

Helped by the Honorable Fernando Sanchez Ugarte, the Consul General of Mexico with the Mexican Consulate in Portland, Centro will inaugurate its new building and programs at 6 p.m. Mariachi music, enchiladas and other refreshments will provide Latin-flavored accompaniment to the ribbon cutting and opening events.

Those attending can meet Centro's staff, board and volunteers and tour the new center. The center's computer lab is co-sponsored by Intel Oregon and Microsoft Corp. It has long-distance learning and online education capabilities.

Sardineta said, "Plaza Comunitaria utilizes the latest technology, including distance learning via satellite, to provide education and job training opportunities to enhance the skills their clients need to acquire dignified employment."

The objective of the program is to reach Latinos of all literacy levels, from first grade through post-secondary school, he added. It has on-site instructors as well as a long distance learning system, computer software and online education programs.

The center is supported by the Department of Education in Mexico with TV programming, written educational materials and online technical support. Centro Cultural trained 11 professional individuals who live in the community to teach adult basic education grades one through 12.

Centro secured an agreement as well with Colegio de Bachillleres (high school) and the virtual University of Monterrey to cover the higher educational levels through online courses.

The Adult Community Educational Community Center is made possible through support of Lorenzo Rubio, the Mexican Consulate in Portland and Yesenia Market. Centro expects to sustain the program through pending support from Meyer Memorial Trust, Wessinger Foundation, Yesenia Market and M&M Swap Meet.