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 Featured Stories Ildelphonso Rosas Linda Brown "ESOL Student Studies with PA Floral Association" "J" came to the U.S. is 1994 from South America (Venezuela). While studying at The Adult Literacy Center during 1994 and 1995, he worked as a floral designer from his home. After graduating from our ESOL program, he became store manager and floral designer at a local flower shop. In order to increase his floral design knowledge, he registered with the Pennsylvania Floral Association. "She is Penn State" "Y". came to this country from China. She first enrolled in our ESL Program for two years, then in the ABE/GED Program for one year. After one year, she successfully passed the GED test and enrolled at Penn State Main Campus in Computer Science. In 2001, she received her Bachelor's Degree and is now working in New York. "Tutor Helps Student Reach Dream�Despite Disability" "D.H". graduated from high school in special education, and he appears to have serious learning disabilities. Upon his initial evaluation at ALC, he was reading on a 2nd grade level. Through motivation and consistency, he worked up to a 6th grade skill level, even though reading continued to be a challenge for him. He then decided he wanted to pass the state electrician's test to become a certified electrician. He again worked diligently with his tutor, and finally, after four tries, successfully passed the test. "D.H". now works part-time as an electrician in addition to his job at a local bakery. "Success Achieved and the Community is Rewarded" "A" was a banker in Chile and a Merchant Marine in Greece before coming to the U.S. in 1985. Like most immigrants, he didn't know English. Then a friend told him about ALC's ESOL classes. After graduating from the Center, he attended LCCC and earned a degree in Education from Cedar Crest College. Currently, he is a Realtor with Century 21 Keim. He has given back by working on boards of Casa Guadalupe, the Hispanic Political Caucus and the Adult Literacy Center. "On the Right Path to a Better Life" To "V," it seems that her problem began when she was 16 years old, a high school dropout, and a single mother living at home with her parents and collecting welfare. But as she tells her story, it appears that her problems really began in seventh grade. Although she had been an "average" student until then, she began having serious academic problems that year. Her parents were called in for a conference. Instead of searching for an explanation for her decline, the adults hastily decided to put her into special classes. She was devastated by this decision. She didn't feel that she belonged in a class filled with children with severe mental and physical limitations. She felt worthless and incapable of achieving academically. Unfortunately, her family reinforced this feeling, telling her she would not amount to anything and that her education was not important. Kids at school didn't help, teasing her. And when her family moved and she began attending an urban high school, she says she fell in with the "wrong" peer group. After dropping out of the tenth grade, she had a brief and turbulent marriage, resulting in a child. She moved home, and was collecting welfare for four years when she began to feel restless, like she should work for the money she has. Over the past eight years, she has worked, hard, to improve her life. First, she enrolled at a GED program at the Private Industry Council, but that was beyond her skill level. So she enrolled in the Adult Basic Skills program - now called the Adult Basic Education - program at the Adult Literacy Center. After years of fits and starts, she was matched with a tutor in March 1997 and she renewed her determination even though she had no support from her family. With a tutor just as dedicated to the cause, she worked up to 30 hours a week in the Center's programs. In October 1997, she passed the GED exam, and threw a party for her tutor to say thank you. Now she is making plans for herself and her son. She is involved with his schooling, and spends as much time with him as possible, makes sure to encourage him, and makes sure he is not misplaced in school. She knows that it is up to her to make a good life for herself and her son, and knows it is up to her to teach her son that nothing is beyond his grasp. Today, she is taking medical and business courses locally full-time and she wants to be a clinical specialist, working with patients. Also, she has become involved with a church and feels it has given her the emotional support she needed to rebuild her self-esteem. She gives back to the church and the community by volunteering to help with activities. This is another aspect of parenting that now sees as so important. After all, she said, "Children learn what they live." "A Family Affair" "C" came to Allentown when she was 20 years old to join her mother. Originally from South America, her family is Latino and Syrian. After graduating from the Adult Literacy Center's programs, she continued to study and became a loan officer in a Lehigh Valley bank. But the story doesn't end there. In the past two decades, nearly 30 members of her family have also taken classes at the Center and have gone on to greater things. One works as a talent director for MTV. One is a nurse. One is a Peace Corps volunteer. And one is an entrepreneur who started his own small business in Allentown. "Baseball Let Him Down, but ALC Didn't" "P" came from the Dominican Republic to play on a minor league baseball team in the New York Yankees organization. Soon after his debut, however, he was injured and his dreams of making the big leagues were shattered. "P" had dropped out of school to play baseball, and, after his baseball career ended, could only find dead end jobs in America that frustrated him. So he enrolled at the Adult Literacy Center and passed the GED within seven months. He continued his education at Lincoln Tech and is currently studying engineering at Lafayette College. In appreciation for the community's support, "P" gives back by delivering motivational lectures at local middle schools. ILDEFONSO ROSAS State Success Story in 2004 ILDEFONSO ROSAS, ALC graduate, was chosen as one of 10 Success Stories by the Bureau of Adult and Basic Literacy Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 2004. Ildefonso A. Rosas was born in Mexico, the oldest of five children.  He completed the 8th grade and, at the age of 16, came to the United States in order to support his siblings. He worked at various manufacturing jobs, married, and had a family. The responsibility of caring for the needs of his family always seemed to get in the way of Ildefonso's completing his education. During this time, he contracted hydrocephalus, a serious illness, and spent six months in the hospital. After his recovery, however, he had difficulty obtaining and retaining employment due to absences caused by symptoms from this illness. With his health problems, he was also limited as to the type of work he could do.Although Ildefonso felt like he had nothing, the desire to complete his education remained with him. In the fall of 2000, he enrolled in the Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley (ALC). Upon entrance, he was assessed as having a 5th grade reading level and an 8th grade math level. Ildefonso worked hard to reach his goal of getting his GED by the end of the program year. He attended classes four days each week - two days at one class and two days at another. In addition, he attended a mentoring program at another site and took books out of the library to study at home. He received his GED certificate on June 6, 2001. Having accomplished this goal, Ildefonso enrolled in the HVAC Certificate Program at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC). In September 2001, when he started his class work, he realized that there were gaps in his knowledge base. He asked ALC for help and was giving a mentor to help him the areas in which he was having trouble. Ildefonso has taken English classes to become more proficient in the language - a long-time goal - and math classes to help with his regular program. Although taking these extra classes will delay completion of his program, he has set a goal of being employed in his field by the time he reaches his 40th birthday. Ildefonso is the first person in his family to go to college, and he hopes his accomplishments will be an inspiration to his children, his family and his community. He has shared his accomplishments with other by twice speaking at ALC's End-of-Year Celebration. In spite of the hardships, he is still hopeful about his future. He says the key is, "to forget what is behind you, look at what lies before you because there will always be a new tomorrow." Ildefonso A. Rosas was born in Mexico, the oldest of five children. He completed the 8th grade and, at the age of 16, came to the United States in order to support his siblings. He worked at various manufacturing jobs, married, and had a family. The responsibility of caring for the needs of his family always seemed to get in the way of Ildefonso's completing his education. During this time, he contracted hydrocephalus, a serious illness, and spent six months in the hospital. After his recovery, however, he had difficulty obtaining and retaining employment due to absences caused by symptoms from this illness. With his health problems, he was also limited as to the type of work he could do. Although Ildefonso felt like he had nothing, the desire to complete his education remained with him. In the fall of 2000, he enrolled in the Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley (ALC). Upon entrance, he was assessed as having a 5th grade reading level and an 8th grade math level. Ildefonso worked hard to reach his goal of getting his GED by the end of the program year. He attended classes four days each week - two days at one class and two days at another. In addition, he attended a mentoring program at another site and took books out of the library to study at home. He received his GED certificate on June 6, 2001. Having accomplished this goal, Ildefonso enrolled in the HVAC Certificate Program at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC). In September 2001, when he started his class work, he realized that there were gaps in his knowledge base. He asked ALC for help and was giving a mentor to help him the areas in which he was having trouble. Ildefonso has taken English classes to become more proficient in the language - a long-time goal - and math classes to help with his regular program. Although taking these extra classes will delay completion of his program, he has set a goal of being employed in his field by the time he reaches his 40th birthday. Ildefonso is the first person in his family to go to college, and he hopes his accomplishments will be an inspiration to his children, his family and his community. He has shared his accomplishments with other by twice speaking at ALC's End-of-Year Celebration. In spite of the hardships, he is still hopeful about his future. He says the key is, "to forget what is behind you, look at what lies before you because there will always be a new tomorrow." LINDA BROWN State Success Story in 1998 Linda Brown, ALC graduate, was chosen as one of 10 Success Stories by the Bureau of Adult and Basic Literacy Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 1998. As a child, Linda Brown dealt not only with emotional and physical abuse, but also with constant moving. In the 4th grade alone, she was in three different schools.  Anxious to leave home, Linda quit school in the 10th grade and worked at many different types of jobs. In 1976, at the age of 18, she got married, but soon found herself dealing with abuse again, this time from her husband. After the birth of her daughter, Becky, the abuse worsened. Linda left her husband, not wanting her child to suffer as she had.On her own with a child to care for and a limited education, Linda started a landscaping business. Though her math skills were very weak, she was cleaver enough to compensate for them. For example, when figuring supplies needed for a job, Linda would "walk off the area." While her business was growing, however, Linda's health was deteriorating. Suffering from chronic back problems, she was forced to give up her business and begin collecting SSI. Knowing she had to be retrained, Linda went to the local Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Despite her 4th grade math level, the OVR counselor recommended that she eventually go to college. Linda decided to become a Special Education teacher. But first, she had to pass the GED exam. In 1993, Linda enrolled in small-group classes run by the Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley (ALC). With a lot of hard work and regular attendance, she improved her math skills to the point where she passed the GED exam. Linda feels that the type of instruction offered in ALC's small group classes - with individualized as well as group instruction - benefited her greatly. Because of her strong belief in ALC's programs, Linda became a volunteer mentor working with a literacy student and a student preparing to take his GED exam. She also worked as a part-time clerical staff member at the center and organized ALC's booth at a local fair. After graduating from ALC, Linda enrolled full-time at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC). She found herself "starved for knowledge," and loving all of her courses - even math. She became involved in other areas of college life despite suffering a fire in her home and a physical assault and battery. Linda received many honors, awards and leadership recognitions at LCCC, including Outstanding Student Leader Award (1995-96), Honorary Member of Phi Theta Kappa and President of the Student Government Association (1996-97). Supported by ALC's Board of Directors, Linda became a founding member of VALUE (Voice for Adult Literacy United for Education), a national organization of adult learners in the United States. ("Adult learner" is a current or former student in an adult basic literacy or English as a Second Language program). In March 1998, Linda met with 40 other adult learners and several mentors at the Highlander Center in Tennessee writing the mission and building the structure of this national organization. |
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ADULT LITERACY CENTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY 801 Hamilton St., Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101-2420 Phone: (610) 435-0680 Fax: (610) 435-5134 Email: [email protected] |
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