Uplifting underserved communities through education, career development, and life skills training has been the longstanding goal of Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA). From revitalizing struggling schools to providing English language instruction and workforce readiness programs, PLA’s initiatives continue to close opportunity gaps and transform lives.
Building Opportunity Through Skilled U.S.
In response to socioeconomic challenges amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, Phalen Leadership Academies introduced Skilled U.S., a program designed to equip individuals with job training, workforce skills, and personal development resources. The initiative helps families recover from job loss and economic instability by connecting education to employment opportunities.
Skilled U.S. Indiana introduced English as a Second Language (ESL) and GED programs in response to challenges faced by many immigrant and refugee families in their community. School leaders noticed that some students were missing class because their parents—who could not speak English—were pulling them out of school to help translate at places like the Social Security office and other appointments.
To address this issue, Kristi Williamson, Executive Regional Director and her Skilled U.S. Indiana team began offering ESL classes to help parents learn English, and GED programs to support adults who had not completed high school. These programs not only reduce the need for children to miss school but also empower families to become more independent and engaged in their communities. Ongoing funding for these initiatives is crucial, as access to education and language learning strengthens both family stability and overall community growth.
Enhancing Learning Through the Burlington Curriculum
A major part of the new program’s success lies in the use of BurlingtonEnglish, a comprehensive digital curriculum that supports diverse learning styles and tracks student progress. At a recent meeting, Kristi Williamson met with representatives from BurlingtonEnglish to discuss their program’s success with Burlington. According to Williamson, Burlington enables teachers to tailor instruction and monitor engagement, which is critical in helping students build confidence and prepare for testing.
Educators at Skilled U.S. have leveraged the BurlingtonEnglish curriculum to provide students with personalized learning experiences—ranging from interview preparation to improving digital literacy. The flexibility of this curriculum ensures that every learner, regardless of age or background, receives the support needed to achieve academic and personal growth.
Expanding Access and Overcoming Challenges
The new ESL program has seen remarkable growth, currently serving 162 active learners with a rolling enrollment model and a growing waiting list of students eager to participate. Williamson shared that the program remains completely free to learners, sustained by a combination of federal and state grants. As momentum continues to build, plans are underway to expand ESL classes online to Skilled US students in Alabama, despite funding challenges.
The Power of Partnership and Open Communication
Throughout the discussion, Williamson emphasized the importance of collaboration among educators, directors, and operations teams. She shared her experiences hiring new teachers and overcoming challenges in implementing instructional tools effectively. Open communication, she noted, has been key to improving outcomes and identifying what students truly need to succeed.
She emphasized that the success of the Skilled U.S. ELL program has been strengthened by the transparent partnership with BurlingtonEnglish Customer Manager, Laura Smart. Together, Williamson and Smart built a relationship grounded in honesty and accountability—openly discussing both the program’s successes and the areas that needed improvement. Their conversations focused on data and real outcomes, ensuring that every insight led to meaningful growth for educators and students alike.
Transformative Impact: A Testimony of Change
The success of these initiatives is perhaps best reflected in the personal stories emerging from the classroom. Dr. Jordan Gusich, a Skilled US teacher proudly shared this success story from one of his students.
Jean Louis Auguste
Jean Louis has been studying in the Skilled US Adult English Program since May 2025. He is an exceptionally dedicated student who understands that improving his English is the key to advancing both his career and his connections within his new community here in Indiana.
When Jean Louis first arrived in the United States, he accepted any job he could, often working long hours for low wages. His determination to build a better future is what brought him to Skilled US, and in just six months, that determination has paid off. Jean Louis advanced from NRS Level 3 to Level 5, a tremendous achievement made possible by his discipline, persistence, and the immersive, real-life learning environment created by his instructor.
Our lead ELL instructor, Dr. Jordan Gusich, has had a profound impact on Jean Louis’s progress through his dynamic, real-world approach to language instruction. At the request of the class, Dr. Gusich recently helped students memorize and perform Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” an engaging yet highly effective exercise in vocabulary building and pronunciation. Each day, he guides students through practical English skills essential for daily life, from interview preparation to navigating real-world challenges such as phone calls about rent, childcare, and conversations with community partners. His instruction is intentionally rooted in the lived experiences of learners, helping Jean Louis gain confidence not only academically, but also socially and professionally.
Jean Louis often ran to his teacher to show his completed Burlington modules and eagerly requested the next test. His consistency and enthusiasm earned him a new role in the classroom: Volunteer Teacher Aide. Today, he supports classmates with their Chromebooks, gives informal Burlington-based English lessons, and assists walk-in students with applications. His peers now call him “Manager” a fitting title for someone who, only months ago, struggled to turn on a computer. Now he teaches others with patience and compassion, embodying the best of Indiana’s “Hoosier Hospitality.”
With newfound confidence in his English, Jean Louis has become proactive in pursuing stronger employment opportunities. He has created online profiles on job platforms, sends applications regularly, and has already secured a new job with better pay and hours. He continues exploring even better opportunities as his skills grow.
“I love my Skilled US family, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities they have given me,” Jean Louis says.
Jean Louis’s story reflects determination, high-quality instruction, a powerful platform and tools by Burlington-based English, and a supportive learning community, and he is just getting started.
This transformation underscores the deeper mission of Phalen Leadership Academies: to empower individuals through education, unlock potential, and create lasting change in communities that need it most.
Education as a Lifeline
Williamson concluded with a reminder that education is more than a pathway to academic success—it is a lifeline out of poverty. Each program, partnership, and success story reinforces the organization’s belief that when communities invest in learning, they invest in hope, opportunity, and a brighter future for all.
