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Helping with English helps volunteer find niche

Posted at 6:05 PM, Feb 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-18 21:41:41-05

When Sharon Coursey moved to Denver after retiring five years ago, she started looking for a place where she could use her teaching skills to tap in to the community.

“I had heard about Emily Griffith and thought it was a niche where I could make a contribution and that’s proved to be a case,” Coursey told Denver7.

Coursey, who once worked in refugee camps in places like West Africa and the Philippines, now volunteers to help refugees improve their English skills through the English Language Program at Emily Griffith Technical College.

“They come to the U.S. as people with skills and talents,” Coursey said.  “They were successful people in their country before they made the transition here and they want that for them and their families again.”

Denver7 and U.S. Bank presented Coursey with a gift card to thank her for all she has done, but says the real rewards come from the students when they tell her how she has helped improved their lives.

“It just makes you feel like you’ve done this huge feat when it just takes such a little bit of your time to do something like that,” she said.

To learn what you can do to help out, follow this link to the Emily Griffith Technical College.