Good Bye Red-Haired Princess

After 12 years of inspiring her students to reach for the stars, GED instructor Carol Biggs is saying good bye. But when you are as special as Carol, an ordinary send off just will not suffice. So Resa Wingfield wrote and performed a farewell play for an audience of students and staff. Students joined in, reading aloud the underlined words while Carol was showered with gifts.

Enjoy the story of the Red-Haired Pricess:

Let me tell you a story. This is a story about a very special person which of course makes it a very special story. And as all special stories do, it begins with these words… Once upon a time…

    Once upon a time a lovely red-haired princess decided to go out into the world to seek her fortune. She was mostly a very sweet natured lady but if you asked her nicely, the princess might possibly admit that she did have the least little bit of a temper like most red-haired princesses. And if you asked her politely she might possibly admit that she could be the least little bit spoiled like most red-haired princesses. But in spite of these minor flaws (which might not be flaws at all in a red-haired princess) she truly wanted to help people so she decided to seek her fortune at the local literacy council where she could help people learn about MATH and WRITING and READING so that they could get GEDs.
    So she donned her best TIARA and set out excitedly. As it happened, the literacy council did not have a job opening right then but the lovely red-haired princess was so eager to help people, she decided to do it for free and began working as a volunteer. Because she was a good volunteer who was very good at helping people learn things, soon she was hired and given a classroom of her own. Before long, she became the GED Queen and traded her TIARA for a CROWN and SCEPTER. Many many people got GEDs while attending her classes.
    For many years, the lovely red-haired queen ruled the classroom. She taught and tested and counseled. Her students learned SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES, practiced MATH and WRITING, read wonderful BOOKS and used CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS to create amazing projects. If you asked her directly, she might possibly admit that it was sometimes the least little bit tiring to be GED Queen what with dress codes and CELL PHONES, excel reports and technology. Still, the students blossomed and grew and graduated and mostly, all was well.  But even good times can’t last forever.
    One day the lovely red-haired queen realized she was beginning to feel the need for new experiences. Like her students, she needed to go beyond her classroom, stretch her wings and try new things. And if you asked her pointedly she might possibly admit that she was the least little bit unsure what new things she should do.
    So she began to think.  She could learn a new career…that would be fun but was that really what she most wanted to do? She could travel…that would be fun but was that really what she most wanted to do? Maybe she could be a STAR! So she helped make a MOVIE…yeah, that was fun but was that really what she most wanted to do? She was PUZZLEd. Finally, the lovely red-haired queen realized that right now, at this precise moment what she really most wanted to do was go back to her home kingdom and reign there with her handsome king.
    So she gave up her GED classroom, passed her CROWN and SCEPTER to another and went back home to her kingdom. Now we don’t exactly know how the rest of the story goes but with a little imagination you can PICTURE her relaxing with a good BOOK, SCARFing up CHOCOLATE bonbons, sipping drinks from a STRAW, watching a good MOVIE and maybe, just maybe, thinking about her time as the GED Queen. And if you ask her gently, she might possibly admit that she was the least little bit sad to leave.
    Farewell, lovely red-haired queen. You are one of a kind and there are few who can hold a CANDLE to you. We wish you and your king a long and happy reign. We will never forget you.

Meet Elizabeth!

TJC student, Elizabeth Bradley, is on her way to a promising future, thanks to her hard work and a little help from Literacy Council of Tyler.  She’s a successful college student now with a goal within reach, but it wasn’t always that way.

When Elizabeth was sixteen, her father died. “After that, my mom worked all the time, so I did whatever I wanted to,” she tells us. When she finished tenth grade, Elizabeth decided she was finished with school. “I did try to go to an alternative school for eleventh grade,” Elizabeth says, “but it didn’t work out.”

Elizabeth first came to LCOT for help in 2002, but didn’t stay in GED classes for long. Five more years of working in low-paying jobs, however, brought her back to try again in 2007. This time, Elizabeth was determined to get this roadblock out of her way so she could go on to college.  In March of 2008, she took and passed all but the essay portion of the test and in December of that same year she completed the essay portion of the test and earned her GED.

Elizabeth is now a full-time student at Tyler Junior College, completing her prerequisites for TJC’s Dental Hygiene program. “It’s a very competitive program,” she explains. “They get over 100 applicants every year and only take 24.” Elizabeth is working hard to keep her grade point average up since she plans to apply for admission in that program at the end of 2011. She’s also in the process of getting a Dental Assistant Certification to improve her chances for admission into the program.

“College does have a lot of reading, but, I think the hardest part was getting motivated to go back and get my GED,” Elizabeth tells us. “Now that I’ve come this far there’s no turning back.”

When asked about what role Literacy Council of Tyler played in her educational journey, Elizabeth is quick to praise LCOT. “I always encourage people without a high school diploma to come here. I tell them, ‘They’ll help you. They’ll bend over backwards to help you get your GED.’”

Kim’s Journey

Kimberly Mican’s journey through the educational system was anything but smooth. She did fine through fourth grade, but after that year, Kim’s mother decided to take Kim and her older brother out of school and homeschool them. Unfortunately, that decision didn’t work out very well. “She bought the books,” Kim says. “But she didn’t really follow through.”

By the following year, Kim was bored and lonely, so she begged her mother to put her back in school. Her mother did, and Kim took the test for entry to 6^th grade, but had to be put in Special Education for math and reading. “That was okay,” she tells us, “at least I was back with my friends.”

Two years later, she asked her mother to let her leave school once more. “I guess I was just tired of going every day…I don’t know,” Kim explains. “So I stayed at home for seventh grade.” Again, the planned homeschooling didn’t really materialize, so Kim fell further behind.

By the next year, Kim was ready to go back and she did, finishing ninth and tenth grade, before encountering the next hurdle. “In eleventh grade, I got pregnant,” she says. “When I had the baby, my dad made me quit school and get a job.”

So, Kim went to work, walking miles to the bus stop and then riding the bus across town to her job at Whataburger. Meanwhile, Kim had another child and continued to deal with ongoing transportation issues just to get to work.

Kim’s mother had come to Literacy Council of Tyler years before and gotten a GED, and encouraged Kim to do the same, but at first Kim couldn’t see a way to make that happen. “It was too hard with two kids and no car and with working all the time.” In fact, there was a time Kim despaired of things ever improving for her or her children.

Then, a chance meeting turned things around. Kim met her current husband, Mark. “He was a blessing from God,” she says. Mark helped out with the kids and encouraged Kim to fit LCOT classes into her schedule. About a year after starting classes at LCOT, Kim took and passed the GED.

Things are looking up for Kim and her children now. She took and passed the TJC Certified Nurse Aide course and now has a good job at Trinity Mother Frances as a Patient Care Technician.  Once her kids (now ages 6 and 4) are in school, Kim hopes to go back to school and get a nursing degree.

When asked if her school and life experiences will change the way she raises her kids, Kim laughs. “They’re not going to go through what I went through,” she assures us. “They need to stay in school.”

Congratulations Kim for all your hard work. All of us at LCOT are proud of how you’ve turned your life around.

Transformation

Most students can attribute their academic success to a teacher who believed in them. For many LCOT students, that teacher is Rick Swain. Read in his words, what it means to be a part of this transformation.  

The other day I received an excited, yet tearful, call from a student (Blanca Albarran) who had participated in an Intensive College Preparatory Class with me prior to the 2009 Fall Semester at TJC. Blanca, now in her fourth semester at TJC, was calling to inform me that she had been accepted into the very competitive and somewhat exclusive Nursing Program at TJC; she wanted me to be the first to hear of her life-changing news.

My name is Rick Swain and I have been affiliated with the Literacy Council of Tyler (LCOT) since February 2007. I started as a Math tutor on Monday and Tuesday evenings. In August of 2007 I was asked to take over an Adult Beginning Education (ABE) class to teach the full curriculum that covered G.E.D. preparation; in the succeeding twenty months I would see twenty-six students earn their G.E.D. certification while working with me. It was my honor and privilege to witness many of these students, amongst others, proudly participate in G.E.D. Graduation ceremonies where they walked across a stage attired in caps and gowns to the applause and cheers of family members and friends.

I came to LCOT to connect with and to impact others, never imagining the impact that my students would have upon me. I have regularly witnessed tremendous examples of courage, sacrifice, and persistence displayed by many students that were entrusted into my care. It is almost indescribable for me to relate the profound effect that so many students have had upon me when a “light came on” or blossoming confidence transcended into empowerment.

Just when I thought it was “as good as it could get” another blessing unfolded; LCOT pursued a state grant that hoped to prepare G.E.D. Certificate earners to transition into college —- I was hired in a full-time capacity to design, recruit, and instruct this Pilot Program in May of 2009. Almost two years later, twenty-seven “survivors” of this rigorous Intensive College Preparatory Program, including Blanca, confidently and purposefully stride across the TJC Campus.

To be a part of an organization that not only wages battle against the whirlpool effects of illiteracy but stands for the pursuit of academic excellence  fans and sustains my passion on a daily basis. The Literacy Council of Tyler is comprised of talented, committed, and insightful Administrators; tireless, caring, and gifted instructors and staff; as well as an army of selfless and giving volunteers; it is truly my pleasure to work and serve among such an extraordinary brotherhood. We collectively stand for transformation and development of all who pass through our doors.

Rick Swain/LCOT Instructor

Heart of a Lion

According to a  recent study, 29% of Texas students will not graduate from high school*.  At only 15 years old, Maria Macedo quit school and became a statistic. Now ten years later, Maria’s life is back on track thanks to her incredible determination.  

When Maria Macedo was in the ninth grade, her boyfriend convinced her to drop out of school.  “I don’t know what I was thinking,” she tells us. “I was fifteen years old and he was fourteen. I was being rebellious, I guess.”

A breakup with the abusive boyfriend and several years of dead end jobs convinced Maria that she wanted more from life. “Little by little, I realized that my life wasn’t going anywhere.”

When Maria came to Literacy Council of Tyler, she was matched with Tutor Gail Knight. After about a year, Maria took the GED and passed all sections, except math. She and Gail continued to work on math for a few months, and then Maria took the math section again. And failed again. So she came back for more tutoring and took that section again. And failed a third time.

Gail, Maria’s tutor went to talk to Rick Swain, a LCOT teacher. Gail didn’t have the heart to call Maria to tell her the results. “I don’t know what else I can do,” Gail told Rick. “She knows the material.”  So, Rick called Maria and broke the bad news. While on the phone, however, he made Maria a promise. “If you’ll come in and work with me,” he told her, “I can get you to where you can pass that test.”

Although she was devastated by the third failure, Maria told Rick she would give it one more try. When she and Rick started to work together it became obvious that although Maria obviously struggled with math, her main problem was test taking strategies.  So that’s what they began to address. Maria talks about showing up for a tutoring session once with braces on both arms. “I had carpel tunnel,” she says. “I couldn’t even hold a pencil. Mr. Rick told me to go home, but I wanted to stay and work—I was so ready to get finished.” When asked if she did stay, Maria laughs. “No. He made me go home. But once the braces came off I came back.”

Her persistence paid off. Finally, on her fourth attempt, Maria took and passed the Math section.

The future is looking up for Maria. She has a good job now working at Catholic Charities.  “I answer the phone and can translate,” she tells us. “Since I have some experience with living in a domestic abuse situation, it makes it easier for the clients to talk to me.”

At 25 years old, Maria’s life is back on track. Now that she has her GED, she’s planning to attend TJC. In fact she’s signed up for the Literacy Council of Tyler’s College Prep class this June where she’ll be working with Rick Swain again. “Mr. Rick told me that I was the kind of person he wanted in his class—the kind of person who won’t give up.”  She grins when she tells us, “Mr. Rick told me that I have the heart of a lion.”

 * 2009 study by Intercultural Development Research Association.

A Mother’s Gift To Her Children

Hermalinda Barrera had an unusual reason to come to Literacy Council of Tyler to improve her English. It wasn’t to get a better job, or to be able to help her kids with their homework—she came to LCOT to help her better communicate with one of children.

Hermalinda has her knitting with her, her hands keep busy as we speak. “I first came to the United States in 1987,” she says. She goes on to tell us how she and her husband first lived in Chicago, where they started their family, and how they eventually ended up here, in Tyler, where their third child, Horacio, was born. Over time some problems had developed in the marriage, but she and her husband both worked and were busy with their three children and things seemed to be going all right. Then came the news that started her on her journey to LCOT.

“Horacio was three and a half years old when we found out that he was deaf,” Hermalinda tells us. This news and the struggles it would portend were too much for a marriage that was already straining, and she and her husband divorced.

The following years were hard, but Hermalinda was managing. “It was hard being a single mother,” she says. “But my other children were doing well in school and we got Horacio into special classes.”

Hermalinda learned some sign language, but when she tried to take sign language classes, her limited English proficiency was a problem. “The classes were in English. I couldn’t keep up.”

Hermalinda came to LCOT in 2010. She had re-married, her youngest child, Aaron was in school, her son Horacio, now 18, was in Austin at the Texas School for the Deaf, and her house and car were paid off. She knew it was time to go back to school. “I can speak English pretty well,” she tells us, and she’s right. “But my writing and reading…” she shrugs and smiles. “They are not so good.”

Writing and reading English is especially important now, since her main method of communication with her son, Horacio, is via text message. “I will want to tell him something and I can’t. It is so frustrating to be able to say a word but not know how to write it.”

Her LCOT teachers understood early that her speaking ability was much better than her reading and writing. They had Hermalinda keep a journal in addition to doing the regular classwork. Progressing quickly through the ESL levels it didn’t take Hermalinda long to come to the attention of the ESL Supervisor, Ellie Fischer.

“Ellie said I should move to the pre GED classes,” Hermalinda explains. “My friends in my ESL classes wanted me to stay there with them, but I told them, ‘No. If Ellie believes I can do it, I am going to push myself to do it.”

As we have seen so often with our students, Hermalinda’s education is already influencing her family. “I am showing my kids that it’s never too late to learn.” Instead of the usual arguments about homework, her nine-year-old son, Aaron sits down to do his homework with his mother. Hermalinda laughs when she describes their routine. “He says, ‘I will race you!’ and I say, ‘Ok.’ and when he finishes I tell him ‘you win!’”

Her oldest two children, Vivian and Joe are both talking about going back to school. “Vivian has taken some classes at TJC and she wants to go back. Joe is in the Marine Reserves. He already had plans to go to college in Austin this summer.” Even her husband is getting into the spirit of things; he’s now taking ESL classes at our Douglas Night program.

 “You know I hadn’t planned to get a GED,” Hermalinda tells us. “I was focused on my reading and writing and learning sign language. But now I think maybe I can do something more. My daughter told me that with knowing Spanish, English and Sign Language, maybe I can do something in the future when I’m not cleaning houses.”

Hermalinda carefully folds her knitting back up and slips it into her bag. “When God takes something from you he’ll give you thousands of things in return. It was really tough being divorced and being a single mother, but I met so many really great people—my customers and my friends, Hermalinda says with a smile. “To find Literacy Council of Tyler was an awesome thing—a real blessing. Maybe someday I can help Literacy Council.”

 

Meet Student Andrew Simmons

Andrew Simmons is 29 years old, with a ready smile and a quick wit. The afternoon he told his story to the LCOT Board he had the whole room laughing.

“I’ve got to say…I am an entertainer,” he tells us, “but in school that caused problems. I didn’t seem to know the right time to do it. I disrupted class and never did the work.”

Growing up in New York, Andrew might have been the class comedian, but he knew his teachers thought he had real potential. It wasn’t unusual, he recalls, for a teacher to stop him in the hall and ask him why he wasn’t trying. Andrew shrugged off their concern. “I didn’t want my friends to know I was smart,” he says, shaking his head. “I didn’t want anybody to think I was a nerd.”

As time went on and he kept ignoring his schoolwork, it continued to pile up and Andrew found himself falling further and further behind. Unsurprisingly, he dropped out.

After a few years of low-paying jobs and even a brush with the law, Andrew finally caught a break. A friend offered him a place to live for free if he would clean their church and go back to school. So Andrew took him up on the offer and enrolled in a GED class.

“The classes I went to at first were a joke,” Andrew says. “We all worked at our own level and I just stayed at that level. When I took the GED, I didn’t pass.” When Andrew learned that he hadn’t passed, he came close to giving up. “I told my mom that I couldn’t do it…that I was just meant to be a thug. But she’s my mother and she wouldn’t let me give up.”

Andrew tried another GED class in New York and wasn’t making much progress there either. Thankfully, before he could get discouraged and give up entirely, Andrew and his mother moved to Tyler. Andrew’s mother, Rebecca Simmons, became an LCOT volunteer and her son enrolled in our GED classes.

“Here, the first day I was in class I knew it was serious,” Andrew says with a laugh. “Mr. Swain walked in and all the students got quiet and settled down. In the other classes I’d had in the past the teachers had no control, but Rick Swain and Carol Biggs meant business.”

Andrew sheepishly goes on to admit that at one point he got kicked out of Carol Biggs’s class for being disruptive. “Ms. Biggs is like my mother. She kept me in line.” This was a wake-up call for Andrew and when he got back in classes he started really applying himself and started to make real progress.

He still remembers a conversation he had with his LCOT teachers that made a big difference. “They brought me in to talk to them. They told me if I wanted my GED I had to be selfish and forget my friends for awhile. ‘You need a GED’ they told me and they were right. So I worked hard and I got it.”

When asked about the future, Andrew doesn’t hesitate. He tells us he’s taking the LCOT college prep class and going on to college. “I’m into Music,” Andrew says. “I want to be a producer. You know, I thought I could never get a GED. But now I feel like…if I could do this, I can do other stuff.”

Meet Student Shawn Moore

Shawn Moore had a goal. Encouraged by a friend of his, a Wood County Deputy Sheriff, Shawn decided that he wanted to become a Texas Concealed Handgun License Instructor. To become a CHL instructor a person must: have a clean record, pass a marksmanship test, and attend a weeklong class in Austin which includes a test over the required 400 page manual. The first two requirements were a breeze for Shawn, he has a clean record and he’s an excellent shot. Unfortunately, a test over a 400 page manual presented an insurmountable obstacle for a young man who has difficulty reading and writing.

As a child Shawn was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, and although his school knew of his learning differences, not much was done to help him learn. “Seems like I spent most of my time in P.E. and gardening,” Shawn says. He has held a job since he was ten years old and as a teen started working in the oil fields. “I was making good money,” he says with a shrug, “so I dropped out of high school.” “Of course,” he adds, “if I knew then what I know now I would have tried harder. Without an education, nobody will hire you.”

After only a few minutes talking with Shawn it’s easy to see that he’s a tireless worker. A mechanic at his family’s auto repair business, Automotive & Moore, Shawn also runs a dirt-moving business and a tree-farm on the side. He also organizes the annual Machine Gun Shoot Out in Big Sandy. This is a large, well attended fund-raising event that benefits the scholarship fund of the Hawkins Masonic Lodge. Obviously, Shawn kept himself busy, but he always knew that someday he would want to improve his educational level. It wasn’t until he decided to add CHL instructor to his impressive list of jobs, however, that he decided to seek help..

In August of 2010 at 23 years old, Shawn came to LCOT. His reading and writing levels were evaluated and then he was matched with tutor Rachel Bridges. Like many adult education students, the learning differences that caused Shawn to struggle in school were still present. But LCOT teachers are trained in methods to assist students like Shawn and, using a variety of teaching techniques specifically designed for ADHD and dyslexia, Rachel and Shawn were able to make significant progress with his reading and writing skills.

Shawn’s family is proud and supportive of his decision to further his education. He smiles when he recounts a recent conversation with his mom. “See, I’m up at 4:00 in the morning doing chores,” Shawn explains, “then I go to my first job until 5:00 p.m. then to my second job until 8:00 p.m. Then when I finally get back to the house I work on my homework. The other day my mom said, ‘Maybe you should just stay home once in awhile.’”

In January 2011, Shawn took and passed the CHL instructor class and exam. Although with his certificate in hand, he had achieved the goal that originally brought him to LCOT, Shawn is now determined to keep coming to class until he can take and pass the GED. With every grade-level his skills have advanced, Shawn’s dreams for the future have expanded. When asked how his LCOT classes have changed his life, Shawn pauses for a second and then looks away, saying, “Words can’t describe.”

Meet Volunteer James Sutton

James has been a volunteer with the Literacy Council of Tyler since 2004. He first started volunteering, he said, because he likes to stay busy and enjoys helping others.

He usually tutors students who need one-on-one help with math. Math has always come easy for James and he believes that, with the right help, math is a subject anyone can learn. “When you teach math, you’re also teaching problem-solving skills. With these skills, students learn to think for themselves – something that can benefit them in all areas of their lives.”

One student that James has tutored in math is Vicki. When the pair first met, Vicki was working at McDonald’s. She was earning the same wage as her son’s friend.

“That really hit home for Vicki,” said James. “She realized to make a better life for herself and her family she needed to get a job that earned more money. That meant first getting a GED.”

They began working together. As Vicki’s math skills improved, so did her confidence and her opinion of herself. She worked very hard for two years and four months. She earned a GED and now has a good job in the medical field. “Both her confidence and her salary have gone way, way up,” said James. “That has given her whole life fulfillment.”

James, who has an 8-year-old himself, said that teaching an adult is very different from teaching a child. Besides the obvious benefits such as better attention span (“and you don’t have to bribe them with snacks”) adults have a different purpose. Their motivation is almost always to get a better job and provide a better life for their family, so they are definitely more focused.

“Adults come here out of love,” James said. “Love for their family, their kids, their spouse. They want to provide more for them and to give them better circumstances. A 50% increase over minimum wage makes a big difference, and that feels really good to be a part of that process.”

James believes that volunteering is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. Even a small investment of time can make an impact. If you are able to teach, you should seize the opportunity.

“God’s given me a gift,” said James. “I’ve been very blessed to be a fast learner and I think I’m a pretty fair teacher. If you don’t share those gifts, they go to waste. That’s not being a very good steward with what the Lord’s given you.”

Thank you, James, for being such an incredible volunteer, teacher, mentor and friend to so many students of the Literacy Council of Tyler.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, call us at 903-533-0330 and ask for DeAnn.

Welcome to Literacy Council of Tyler

We’re really happy to have this new blog. Here you’ll find news and information, current events, happenings around LCOT, meet some of our students and more.