A class funded by the Poncho Duran Educational Fund for Hispanic adults and hosted by the Brownsboro Independent School District wrapped up its second semester Thursday with over 40 participants in attendance, Parent Involvement Coordinator Perry Eaton said.

"We gave certificates to each of our participants. One of the men just came up and said to me, `I want you to know this class has helped me. It's made a difference in my life.'"

The courses have been full of people like that, Eaton said, including one who became a U.S. citizen while taking the class.

"Our attendance has been great. We usually average 35 per night, which is pretty good. They're getting some great help."

After 44-year-old Brownsboro businessman Francisco "Poncho" Duran died in January, the fund was created to help parents of Hispanic children in the school district learn English.

"Some of his heirs and business associates decided to do this," Eaton said. "We started it from scratch, and these parents are a blast."

Classes started in the Spring with one teacher, Paula Phillips of Chandler Elementary School.

This semester, another teacher from Chandler Elementary, Johnice Weisinger, joined the effort.

"We expanded it from one teacher to two teachers, and we're going to split the classes into `beginner' and `intermediate,'" Eaton said. "We're going to give an assessment test next Spring."

Over 5 percent of the population in Brownsboro is Hispanic. Eaton said many Hispanic children in the district speak better English than their parents.

"The better English the parents speak, the more comfortable they're going to be coming to school to talk to their kids' teachers," he said. "Maybe they're able to get better jobs, too. I think we're really making a difference in some families. "

Duran owned Duran Plant Farm and Nursery Inc. on CR 3606.

Each semester lasts six weeks.

The class is on each Tuesday and Thursday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Brownsboro Junior High School.