Why I Volunteer to Teach English: Meet Dylan

Dylan moonlights as an Uber driver. One evening in 2025, he had a ride that inspired him to do more to help immigrants. The woman Dylan was driving around seemed reluctant to say where she was from. Dylan wondered if it was because of a controversial comment made by a politician. “I wonder if this woman in sort of the aftermath of that is a little bit, it's something she doesn't want to bring up just to anyone. I just kind of had that in my mind, and I thought that's such a shame,” Dylan said. 

After that interaction, Dylan wondered if maybe he could drive immigrants around. He started Googling volunteer positions related to immigrants and found that the ESLC had a position open for English teaching. “Once I signed up, it was a really easy process,” Dylan said. After a few nights and classes of training, Dylan started volunteering for community classes in January of 2025.

His curriculum is focused around commonly used ideas, “like family, for example,” Dylan said. “We just started daily activities, maybe time or shopping, or money. The idea is, [based] around English that you might encounter out in the real world.” He said that the ESLC’s flexibility around students and the classes means that there’s no real start or stop, and that really benefits the students. When one student asked him when the class ends, he told her, “‘You can keep coming as long as you want.’”

The ESLC brings people together from all over the world. “We have a lot of different people from different places mixing together and making this American story,” Dylan said. “I like when two people from different countries or different cultures become friends in my class.” 

“I like being a citizen of the world,” Dylan said. The community that the class provides for him and his students is really rewarding for him. “I’m doing a very little thing in the grand scheme ... but I just want them to feel a little more comfortable in the community, being a part of this community.” 

If Dylan's story resonates with you, consider completing a volunteer application!