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Your support at work: Results
Student Success Stories
In one year of classes, ABE student Michelle moved up two literacy levels (from ABE Beginning Literacy to ABE Intermediate Low) in reading. She has blossomed, and as a result, is making progress in the other areas too. She was able to complete her own registration form without assistance this time. In addition to attending classes faithfully, Michelle also has a reading tutor at Literacy Advance and works on her own outside-of-class assignments. Her confidence level has definitely increased. She is a true success story.
After many months at Literacy Advance, Michelle wanted to try GED classes, which meet in the same building as her ABE class. She is doing well and works very hard with her Literacy Advance tutor who helps her with her reading.
We went over goals in class today, for about an hour, maybe more. Maria was the last to speak and had us all close to tears. Her main goal is to change her life. She's been working as a housecleaner, sometimes 7 days a week to get by. She has found out that she is pregnant and is delighted about it. But she realizes that to be a proper mother she has to have a job that allows her to spend more time at home. She also told us that she is divorced and that her ex-husband was negative and abusive. She goes to therapy once a week to help her self-esteem. She was in tears at the conclusion. The tears were of joy because she believes that she is on the way to achieving her goal; she loves coming to class and is looking forward to the changes that are possible. She is giving herself 3 years to reach her goal.
She told us how she now watches television in English, how she goes to stores where English is spoken instead of Spanish. She bought her first English book, a book on raising a newborn. She came to Literacy Advance in spite of her ex-husband's lack of support. She is making these changes because she has chosen to. The class, not surprisingly, was totally supportive and positive toward her. They were clearly and honestly proud of her. We gave her examples of others who succeeded after encountering failure and negativity.
Josefina came to student orientation with her niece who wanted to register for ESL classes. Although Josefina wasn't planning to register, she felt motivated to learn English during orientation. Until that moment and after many years living in this country, she thought she could never learn to speak English.
Josefina began attending While You're Waiting (WYW) classes with her niece. During the first sessions, Josefina couldn't understand what the tutor was explaining, but she continued coming even though her niece stopped. Her dedication paid off, and Josefina has made great progress. "My niece quit coming but I stayed. I can believe that now I am able to understand and speak English, I can even help other students in WYW! I feel more confident now, and I know that I am going to be able to obtain my US Citizenship. My English still needs a lot of work but I can communicate with others."
During the last week of orientation, Josefina attended and gave her testimonial to the new students.
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