The woman behind English Express: Mary Ann Hytken, how to access free classes

Mary Ann Htyken sat in a local Mexican market with a wooden TV tray, two folding chairs and a picture dictionary, waiting patiently for customers to come in and talk to her about the English learning process. It was the start of her outreach to the non-English speaking community in Humboldt. After a year of tabling at other local Mexican markets, Hytken began her program, English Express.

“To this day we have served over 600 students now and they have represented 35 countries of origin and 52 of our students have become US citizens,” Hytken said.  

Hytken teaches free English and Citizenship classes in Humboldt. A grant of $50,000 was awarded to English Express on August 6 by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. Hytken intends to use the grant for program support. Starting in September, English Express will be looking to hire a new teacher for the citizenship class and a part-time coordinator. 

Hytken has been teaching for 36 years and started as a professor at the College of the Redwoods. Hytken ended her contract with CR because the summer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes were canceled but her students still wanted her to keep teaching them. In the summer of 2016, she acquired a space to teach the English classes. 

“I found a space at the Jefferson Community Center thanks to Heidi Benzonelli-Burdon, and I told my students to meet me next week and we never looked back,” Hytken said.

English Express also offers citizenship classes. In the citizenship classes students learn how to answer the 100 civic questions, go through mock citizenship interviews and prepare filling out the N400 application.

Students can join classes at any time, all that is asked from them is their full name, city of residence and country of origin.

Students like Francisca Rodriguez began taking the English classes in person before the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. During this time Hytken and a former student of hers, Sharon Cervantes helped the students transition into Zoom classes.

Rodriguez has been with Hytken for over four years and has not only learned English, she now knows how to use a computer. 

“I’m going to describe her in a few words, I like everything about her, everything. She has a really good way of teaching, she has so much patience,” Rodriguez said. 

There is a framework on how to teach adult ESL and Hytken tailors her curriculum to fit the needs of her students. In her English classes, Hytken uses pictures of current events and everyday scenarios to help students practice their everyday English. She explains the subject via zoom, sends a video of it and the audio so the student can practice what they learned in class. 

Hytken also takes students on field trips and encourages them to attend local events. This allows her students to see themselves as part of the Humboldt community. 

In addition to English Express, a year and a half ago, Hytken began a collaboration with all the ESL teachers in Humboldt called Teachers Together. They support each other, promote each other’s classes and help students transition into programs at CR. 

English Express is a non-profit that gets their fiscal sponsorship through the Ink People Center of the Arts located in Eureka. As a non-profit organization, English Express is funded by local grants, private donations and they occasionally hold fundraisers.

English Express also collaborates with Latino Net, Centro del Pueblo, Humboldt Promotores, Providence’s Paso a Paso, Eureka Adult School, Humboldt County Office of Education and College of the Redwoods. 

“The need is here in Humboldt County; the need has been here. English Express is here to meet that need,” Hytken said.

Classes

English classes start via Zoom the second week of September, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

Citizenship classes take place at the Jefferson Community Center on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. 

Additional in-person classes will be held;

In Fortuna: St. Francis Episcopal Church Parish Hall, Thursdays 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

In Rio Dell: Rio Dell Community Resource Center, Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Class information is shared on the Mary Ann Hytken Facebook page.