UNION CITY – A graduation ceremony was held at the Quintana Organization in Union City on Dec. 22 to celebrate the most recent graduates of McDonald’s “English Under the Arches” (EUA), an English as a Second Language (ESL) program specifically designed to help employees advance in their careers. Celest and Jessica Quintana, a mother and daughter duo who own several McDonald’s restaurants in the area, honored fifteen of their managers for successfully finishing the eight-week curriculum. Ranging in age from their late 20s to late 50s, the graduates came from Central and South American countries.
New Jersey State Assemblyman Raj Mukherji of the 33rd legislative district was in attendance to personally congratulate the class. He presented each graduate with official state proclamations in honor of their achievements and dedication to serving the community.
The fifteen graduates were Union City residents William De La Cruz, Jessica Gomez, Norma Navia,and Leyla Vargas; Jersey City residents Deisy Coello, Abigail Feria, Mercy Gomez, Juana Ortiz, Silvia Perez, Veronica Perez, Patricia Rosales, Lidia Sanchez, and Elizabeth Sanchez; Newark resident Petra Bonilla; and West Orange resident Estefania Andrade.
EUA courses are offered free of charge to eligible employees of independently owned and operated franchise restaurants and McDonald’s corporately-owned restaurants. The courses teach students the English they need to communicate effectively and confidently with customers and staff on a daily basis. Employees who are selected to participate in EUA have been identified as high-potential managers who would provide continued value and progress rapidly with the aid of language training. Classes are held during work hours and student-employees receive regular wages for the time they spend in EUA.
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
