The language of success

“Thank you” was the first English phrase she learned to speak and write. Now she uses the expression conveniently to express her gratitude to the people who have helped her become well-versed in the English language.

Jing Min Zhu-Indalecio came to Saipan in 1988 speaking not a word of English. In China, her educational training was halted at fifth grade when she made a decision to help her parents financially support their family.

Alone in her self-run retail store one day, Jing had learned that the Northern Marianas College Adult Basic Education regularly held Family Literacy classes at the Islands of Beauty Center in San Antonio, just a walking distance from her home.

What started out as pure curiosity became her vehicle for self-improvement.

Three semesters ago, she found herself enrolling for the basic General Education Diploma Program under the college.

“When I took my placement exam and they put in basic, I could not even spell. My grammar was bad. I attended classes for two days and quit,” says Jing.

But her instructors pled her to continue with the program, encouraging her to start by first improving her spelling skills.

Using empty cigarette boxes from her store, she practiced on her spelling without let up until she perfected the words in the textbook.

“I barely slept. Night and day, I would practice spelling,” she says.

The following semester, Jing was ready for pre-GED where she started constructing sentences through a journal that she kept.

While she continued to struggle with her English, Jing was a sharp student when it came to Math.

“I owned a store so Math was no problem,” she says.

But when studying began to take up a more significant portion of her time, Jing decided to sell everything in her store and focused on her skills training.

As she kept her eye towards attaining that GED diploma, she encountered several hurdles along the way.

She had to take the GED test several times before she hit finally the bullseye last Dec. 21, 2000.

Her instructors at NMC note her progress as revolutionary and unique.

She had what only a few adult students had: the unwavering determination to learn at all costs.

Thirty-three years old with four kids, Jing didn’t exactly have the luxury of time to spend inside an academic classroom.

But with a supportive husband on her side, she found a way to balance her family life and adult school.

“My husband has always been very supportive. He watches the kids when I take my exams. And my teacher, he’s very good and very patient,” she says.

“I want to encourage all those people who have dropped out to go back to school. The only reason they cannot pass is because they dropped out. But if they did come back, there’s no way they’re not going to pass,” she adds.

Jing hopes her success story would serve as an example for other adults who are hesitant to pursue education even at a later time in their lives.

With her newly-acquired skills, Jing is glad she can now read to her kids and guide their education.

“I tutor my son. The main reason why I worked so hard to learn is that so I can teach my kids,” she says.

The NMC ABE’s family literacy program is principally aimed at promoting parents’ more active involvement in their children’s learning.

Family literacy services are offered to individuals who have attained 16 years of age, who are not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school under the state law, and who lack sufficient mastery of basic educational skills to enable the individuals to function effectively in society.