Westchester EOC – 1986
English as a Second Language

An Immigrant from Honduras Lives the American Dream

Like all new immigrants, Henry Figueroa came to America seeking a better life for him and his family. But he soon realized that he needed to continue his education to learn better English and find a better-paying job. In 1986, he enrolled in the English as a Second Language program at the Westchester EOC. Two months later, he enrolled in the Computer Training program. He graduated in 1987 with dual certificates from both programs.

In 1987, Mr. Figueroa enrolled at Mercy College in the Higher Educational Opportunity Program. By 1991, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems and worked for the Irvington School District assisting the computer coordinator. In 1992, Mr. Figueroa was hired by the EOC as a Computer Specialist in the “Bridge program.” And in 1993, he began teaching computer applications on an adjunct basis to a group of students in the Vocational English as a Second Language Program at the EOC.

In 1996, Mr. Figueroa became the MIS Director for a major child welfare agency. He was responsible for managing five sites, supporting 400 users and implementing new technology. Today, Mr. Figueroa is the Director of Information Systems for OrthoNet – a medical orthopedics specialty company in White Plains, New York. He supervises the company’s wide area network (WAN) infrastructure and technology for over 250 employees. He also manages Network Administrators, Engineers and PC Specialists, along with critical business applications and outside technology vendors.