[MUSIC] Anything else you would like to tell me? That is great, we are very happy to hear that. Any type of feedback of the school, classes, or of the teacher, you are welcome to provide it. >> This is where the magic begins. The American Dream Academy Call Center. It is here that the initial contact to parents is made and the invitation to take an active role in their child's learning is extended. The call center employs graduates of the American Dream Academy, many who have taken on additional roles as facilitators and coordinators. The primary role of the call center is to make the first contact with parents after schools identify potential families. We are here today with Rosie, Nellie, and Zulma, call center recruiters, to tell us about their experience with the American Dream Academy. Can you tell us about your role at the American Dream Academy, and how long you've been working here? >> I have been working here for 4 years and found out about the American Dream Academy program through my husband who works for a TV station. >> I found out about the program through a friend who knew it existed. She said, “This can be for you, since you are so interested in everything related to education.” I am now a facilitator and coordinator. >> I got to the program through my daughter. The invitation came on behalf of the school, Riverside, and my daughter studies there, so I began the program with the school. Today here I am working directly at the call center. >> What can you tell me about your job that is the most rewarding? >> For me the greatest satisfaction of this job is to change lives. It is to realize that when you have contact with the parents,
you are able to change their ways of thinking. >> To see the parents so motivated and knowledgeable that they can keep supporting their children. >> Being able to transmit to parents the knowledge that the American Dream can be reached. They will experience this dream through their children when they graduate from a university. That everything can be accomplished with desire, effort and dedication. We can do it! >> Can you tell me, what about your job is the most challenging? >> The first challenge is for the parent to listen and understand that we are calling from their child’s school, to open their mind so we can give them all the information about the program. >> For me the biggest challenge is to break the ice that exists between the parents and the call center agent. To motivate them, to connect with their conscience to enable them to say “Yes, we can!” Go support them and our program, because it will be something very productive for both the parent's and child’s lives. >> The biggest challenge is to have that connection between the parent and myself. To achieve and convince the parent to want to come to this program but because they truly want to improve their lives and those of their children. >> Could you please share with us one of your success stories in the call center? >> In the moment that the parent says, “Yes, I will come and I am very interested.” That I feel that the parent is convinced that this is something good for them. That is what success at the call center would mean for me. >> Success in a call is for example when a mother is busy with daily chores, and is not paying attention to me. So I need to reach her, explain to her why she should attend, why she should participate, and when I let her know that everything is free, that there is nothing to lose, that her life will change, that this is something positive so she begins to listen to me and asks me “OK so what will I learn?” So I tell her that she will learn about what her child needs to get to the university. And she asks me: “That exists? That can be done?” And I answer: “Yes, of course.” We are that bridge in the communication, and we are going to help you. So when she tells me, “I am interested, it’s interesting, yes, I will enroll,” that’s success! >> For me success is, for example, when a mom once called me and thanked me for the program and told me
that her son was now enrolled at a university. >> Because our course is mainly for teachers of English language learners, I was wondering if you could tell us how does your job, and your work here at the call center, impact teachers of ELLs in the Phoenix community? Selma, what do you have to say about that? >> I consider that we are helping teachers, in the sense, since we are creating awareness on the parents and they will help their children in school and this will have positive consequences and the academic levels will increase, it will be much better. In that, parents will develop awareness in collaboration with the teachers In that, we are all a team, we work as a team, teachers, parents, students. So it is about working together. >> Great, yes. >> Excellent, thank you, thank you.
