SVAE student Sakhi Jan Haleemi was the recent recipient of a Santa Clara County CalWORKs Client Achievement Award. This marks the first time in more than 10 years a nominee from any adult education school in Santa Clara County has been chosen. Many of the nominees are from junior colleges and other branches of the county’s CalWORKs partners.

“I was really happy and surprised,” Jan Haleemi said. “I felt good and positive about myself and the hard work I have been doing. By getting this award, I feel so proud and it encourages me to get a better education.”

Jan Haleemi is in his second year at SVAE, beginning in English as a Second Language and now attending Adult Basic Education. He recalls having problems with English when he first arrived, but SVAE has helped him gain confidence in English in addition to assisting him with finding jobs. 

“Now I am working on my GED so that it can open new doors for me and I can attend college,” he said.

Jan Haleemi thanks the CalWORKs team at SVAE and his teachers for their support along the way, in addition to others. 

“They helped me enroll in SVAE and gave me the confidence to try to get my GED and further my education,” he said.