Juan Diego Adult Center
The mission of Juan Diego Adult Centers (JDAC) is to offer English language and citizenship classes that enhance and strengthen students' English skills and support them throughout their U.S. citizenship application process. Our courses last for one year and continue as long as students are committed to attending or until they achieve proficiency comparable to that of a native speaker.
Through our classes, students gain the ability to:
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Interact more effectively within their community
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Become informed and engaged community members
We strive to meet the language, and naturalization needs of many immigrants in our community proactively. By educating individuals, we empower them to participate in various aspects of life—jobs, family, education, and community—thereby enriching the multicultural landscape of the San Diego area.
History
Juan Diego Adult Center was established in 2005, beginning with English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for adults at what was then Marian High School, now known as Mater Dei Catholic. We expanded our reach with a second location at St. Jude Parish in San Diego. In 2013, we added three more locations: St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista, Mt. Carmel in San Ysidro, and St. Charles in Imperial Beach. These sites continue to offer classes for adults based on classroom availability.
In 2012, we launched citizenship classes to assist immigrants in successfully completing the oral interview and written exam for U.S. citizenship. A second location for these classes was introduced in 2013 at Mt. Carmel, and in 2019, we began offering Saturday morning citizenship classes at the South Chula Vista Library.
Thanks to the ALSAM Foundation, founded by Lennie Sam Skaggs of Salt Lake City, Utah, we are grateful to provide free classes for students seeking to improve their language skills, adjust to a new culture, and pursue U.S. citizenship.