At the end of each school year, Literacy for Life throws a party to celebrate the accomplishments of learners in the program. COVID deferred that party for 2020 and 2021, but we made up for it on June 7, 2022, as we gathered together to honor the work and patience that leads to success in this program.
I came away from this event with sore cheek muscles from smiling so much. This wonderful array of people who are working to make a better life for themselves and for their families is so inspirational – it always makes me want to go and do something important, just to match what they have done.
We heard lots of stories:
· the woman who didn’t speak English a few years ago, but now has scored so well on the ASVAB that she will have her pick of specialties in the US Army.
· The man, sponsored by his sister who is an immigrant but has been an American citizen for 20 years, passed the test to get his commercial drivers license and now holds a job that allows him to drive all over the east coast of the United States.
· The woman, whose goal was to improve her English skills after living in the US for a few years, announced that she has been admitted to William and Mary’s law school.
· The woman, not an immigrant but with poor reading and math skills because of a series of traumatic family events, passed the GED and told us that she was just offered a job with William & Mary’s Human Resources Department
· The immigrant who has been in the US for decades announced that he is taking writing classes because he wants to write his memoirs.
· Several men and women who have “tested out” of the program by exceeding the top level of English language competence supported by the program – and have become tutors themselves.
· A woman whose skills and language competence had improved so much that Literacy for Life hired her as the program’s administrative assistant. \
And so forth and so on. Story after story after story.
A lot of the learners who take my class were there today. They waved at me and called me “teacher” and wanted to take a picture with me. They were excited and having a great time. I also saw learners that I tutored over the years – including my first “citizenship” learner. She is still a force of nature, and is just as energetic and positive as she was the first time I met her in 2012.
The tables were filled out by a dozens of tutors, many of them sitting and eating lunch alongside with learners, continuing the fond relationships that have built up over their time together. Other attendees were members of the Literacy for Life Board, as well as some donors and some local politicians. As we are walking out, we couldn’t stop talking about how great this program is and how inspirational the stories are.
I encourage you to find something that makes you as happy and fulfilled as Literacy for Life makes me.
Wonderful! It makes your heart bigger.
Karen, what a beautiful testimony about a wonderful program. I am a huge supporter of Literacy For Life. I was the instructor for the Health Education And Literacy program and tutored two very special women from Vietnam and Pakistan. It was an honor for me to be involved in this program and I join you in encouraging others to consider doing so, too. Enjoy your day!!