By Lily Contorer
Alma showed up first. She entered my office and immediately began to explain why she needed a tutor fast. She had to pass the GED before January, 2014 when the whole test got much harder. She didn’t think she could do it in just seven months but, “I’m gonna really try. I’m gonna try my hardest, Lily, because I really gotta do this.” Alma had grown up in a Spanish-speaking household and left school in the ninth grade. She didn’t have much self-confidence but did have a frenetic kind of drive.
Alma with Jesus & Leonardo
Next came Lupe, Alma’s husband and Jesus’s father. He entered the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program at the Literacy Council of Buncombe County. A hard worker, Lupe could speak English fluently and read English at about the ninth grade level, but struggled with spelling and writing.
The last member of the family, three-year-old Leonardo, is the only one who is not a Literacy Council of Buncombe County student; he is just a bit too young.
So, what happened to this family after they received one-on-one attention from trained tutors in all three programs at the Literacy Council of Buncombe County?
After working with her tutor in the Adult Education program for six months, Alma did pass the GED in December. Not only did she meet her goal, the success she experienced encouraged her to create a new one. Alma is now enrolled in a CNA course through AB Tech at the Goodwill campus on Patton in West Asheville. She is matched with a new tutor who has a nursing background so she can get literacy help within this specialized course of study.
Jesus’s grades in school improved after he began working with a highly trained Augustine Project® tutor. He has also developed a love for reading. Jesus told his tutor that he is reading the Harry Potter series at home for enjoyment and, “I think I’m gonna grow up to be a good reader.”
Lupe and a friend have started their own successful tile and flooring business, recently securing a contract with the city. The Hernandez family is on the way to creating the life of their dreams.
The Literacy Council of Buncombe County offers three programs for County residents. The Adult Education program teaches reading, writing, and basic math to adults who read at or below a basic skills level. The ESOL program teaches oral English, reading, and writing to adults who have immigrated to the U.S. from around the world. The Augustine Project® seeks to improve the academic achievement, and thereby the self-esteem, of low-income children and teens who struggle with literacy skills.
Tutors in all three programs are trained volunteers. These generous individuals offer their time and knowledge to their students for a minimum of two hours per week for nine months. The progress that the students make is remarkable and the bond between students and their tutors is strong.
Augustine Project® training takes places once per year during the summer. This intensive training consists of 70 hours of classroom and practicum learning. This year, the 10-day training took place at ArtSpace Charter School in Swannanoa in late June. Check with the Literacy Council for the next opportunity to become a trainer in this project.
Adult Education and ESOL training happens every other month as a series of four evening classes. Training requires a 15-hour time commitment.
The Literacy Council of Buncombe County teaches adults and children basic reading, writing, math, and English language skills through individual and small group instruction by trained volunteers. Students gain self-confidence and develop self-sufficiency to transform their lives as individuals, parents, workers, and citizens. The Literacy Council, a non-profit organization accredited by ProLiteracy America and serving the community since 1987, provides highly individualized tutoring to fit the needs of over 300 students in three core programs – Adult Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and the Augustine Project. This profile of family, Alma, Jesus & Leonardo, is another in a series of inspiring stories about those whose lives The Literacy Council has improved.
To learn more about becoming a student or volunteer tutor with the Literacy Council of Buncombe County, please visit www.litcouncil.com or email Lily Contorer at [email protected]. You may also call Lily at 828-254-3442 x202.
