Finding a Second Home at the Cambridge Community Learning Center

Every fall, hundreds of adults start classes at the Cambridge Community Learning Center (CLC). Some students have been studying for years, and some are starting for the first time. Every student comes to the CLC for different reasons. 

Daisy Ozuna came to Cambridge in 2016. She found a job as a family support worker at the Center for Families (CFF). “I helped run playgroups and provided childcare for parents taking classes or doing workshops,” she says. “It was great! I loved taking care of kids, but I decided I wanted to help people in a different way. I decided I wanted a career in healthcare.” A colleague at the CFF encouraged Daisy to improve her English and told her about the CLC.  

In 2022, Daisy started taking English classes at the CLC. She worked hard, taking classes, raising her kids, and working two jobs. At the same time, she started looking for healthcare training programs. “I found out the CLC had a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training Program, and I applied,” Daisy says with a smile. 

In February 2024, Daisy enrolled in the CLC’s career training program to be a nursing assistant. “Being a part of the CNA Training Program taught me a lot about endurance,” she explains. “I learned the strength that I have within myself to go back to school, manage my household, and work two jobs. It has not been easy, but thanks to the amazing support at the CLC, I have overcome a lot.” Daisy graduated from the CNA program in June 2024. She is now working as a home health aide in Cambridge.

The CLC hopes that, like Daisy, all new and returning students are able to take advantage of their time at the CLC. During her time as a student at the CLC, Daisy improved her English skills, explored career options, and got hands-on job training through a job program. “This is my time, and I want to keep improving myself,” she says. “In this life, we do not walk alone. The CLC is not just a school or program to me. It is like a second home. I learned a lot about myself and others.”   

The CLC is excited to see what amazing things their adult learners will do in the coming school year! For more information about the CLC's classes and programs, visit www.cambridgema.gov/CLC.

Photo Caption: Daisy (left) works with a young child during a drop-in English class at the CLC.