MPCC ESL volunteer celebrated for her service

One thousand, five hundred.

That’s the number of classroom hours Marcia Crofutt has volunteered as an English Second Language (ESL) Instructor at Mid-Plains Community College Ogallala Campus.

After 11 years of service, she taught her last MPCC ESL class March 27, which included a celebration with former and current students, community members and MPCC staff.

“You build a rapport and relationship with the students,” she said. “I’ll miss seeing them.”

Upon retirement in 2011 from a career of 35 years of teaching in western Nebraska, including earning a master’s degree in elementary education, a friend recommended Crofutt for the position at MPCC.

Her hours inside and outside of the classroom with her ESL students have been a treasured part of her retirement.

“I’ve really enjoyed the friendships that I’ve made and the people I’ve gotten to know,” Crofutt said.

The 1,500 hours she has taught do not include the numerous field trips she took her students on, including outings to the Keith County Fair, Ogallala Indian Summer Rendezvous and Boot Hill.

“I want them to experience American culture,” Crofutt said.

Over the years she has taught 60+ students from various countries who speak four different languages: Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Gujarati.

“Thank heavens for Google translate,” said Crofutt.

Thinking back to her time as a student, she said, “I wish I would’ve taken Latin or Spanish in high school.” Instead, she focused on German which is a rich part of her heritage.

Nonetheless, she and the students work together to reach their individual goals.

“The main goal is to teach them English so they can speak it properly,” she said.

Each student comes to the class needing various things. “Their lifestyles determine how long they are in the program,” Crofutt explained.

The students in the MPCC Ogallala ESL program are eager to learn. “Everybody I’ve had as a student has been such a delight. I have enjoyed them,” said Crofutt.

The feeling is mutual according to her students.

“She’s like my mom, I call her every morning.”” said Elsa Gomez, who enrolled her husband in ESL classes with Crofutt, and helps with class. “She’s been a blessing and I love spending time with her.”

Another student, Omar Gonzalez said he appreciates Crofutt’s passion, how she explains things in class and gives different examples.

“I try to understand and try to improve each day,” said Gonzalez.

Reading from the card she presented to Crofutt during their final gathering, Isela Vargas summarized her gratitude.

“Saying thank you is not enough,” she said. “Thank you for giving us your beautiful smile in class, for trusting us, for listening to us, for making us believe that we could do it, for changing my life.”

Crofutt shared with the students that she still has their phone numbers, so they are not saying goodbye.

“If I see a joke or something they might enjoy, I will email them,” she shared with the group.

The importance of language is something that Crofutt wants people to know about.

“The importance for our students, if they are going to be in America they need to learn English,” she said. “We need to help those who are coming here and wanting to learn. We need to be patient.”

As true retirement sets in, Crofutt is looking forward to gardening, her upcoming high school reunion and helping plan her church’s 100^th anniversary celebration.

Crofutt will always think fondly of her years of teaching and the many lessons she has taught and learned in return.

“We all have a heart; we all have a mind, and we need to take care of each other.”