PUENTE CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

At the age of 9, Kimberly's life took a drastic turn when her parents, who were undocumented immigrants living in the United States, decided to move their family back to Mexico. Life was hard in...

Kristian first learned about PUENTE in 2017 when he was a junior at East College Prep High School in Lincoln Heights. As the first in his family to pursue a...

Before he became PUENTE’s beloved Citizenship Prep instructor seven years ago, Andy Lippman had a longstanding career with The Associated Press. But it’s supporting PUENTE students that makes him...

Learning has changed during COVID-19, and teachers like Jannette Cañas have been finding ways to persevere. For the past year, Janette has been navigating new teaching platforms and nurturing...

When a friend recommended PUENTE Learning Center as a welcoming environment to learn and grow, Maria did not realize at first what a difference that would make. She is currently enrolled in Career...

When COVID-19 forced the UC Davis college campus to close this past spring, Nelly Escalante turned to PUENTE for help. Nelly has been enrolled in the PUENTE College and Career program since her...

PUENTE Charter Elementary School student Genesis was officially re-classified from English Learner to English Proficient in first grade. “PUENTE teachers put in the time,” says Genesis’s mom,...

To keep up with her distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis, PUENTE second-grader Valerie Ruiz needed a computer. PUENTE showed up at her doorstep to deliver a laptop (at a safe distance), and...

Lissa knew she needed practical skills to get ahead. Then, she found PUENTE. In our workforce development classes, she received valuable training to help her family’s small business expand. Not only...

Benjamin Chavez Aguirre was looking for English classes when he moved to Los Angeles from Tijuana, Mexico. At his sister’s suggestion, he began ESL classes at PUENTE. He went on to enroll in High...

Many immigrant children want to make their parents proud by being the first in their family to go to college, including Sean, who is a student in the PUENTE College and Career Program. “My parents...

“When I have questions about financial aid or student loans, I always come to [my case manager] Guillermo. He always has answers for me. Guillermo gives me confidence in the decisions I make.” –...

Erika Ruiz first learned about PUENTE Learning Center when she moved to Boyle Heights four years ago. Her new neighbors recommended PUENTE as a community resource and called it a “local gem.” She...