Rancho Cucamonga Library - Conquering Illiteracy: One Man's Fight

Conquering Illiteracy: One Man's Fight
A Grandfather Reads His First Christmas Story
Good Morning America (ABC): Dec 27, 2008 by Lisa Fletcher, Nicole Young & Michael Milberger

Two years ago, reading a holiday book to his 3-year-old grandson Chip would have been impossible for Charles Goolsby. But this year, after countless hours of hard work, Goolsby is finally able to read a holiday story -- something he was never able to do for his own son and daughter.

One California man conquers a decades-long battle with reading."I was totally humiliated, a grown man with reading and writing skills that are not up to par," said Goolsby, 56, of Fontana, Calif. "I had nothing to lose, because I was at my bottom, my lowest point."

Recently divorced and recovering from heart surgery, Goolsby was entering a new phase of his life. Fixing car transmissions was his specialty. He even owned his own business with the help of his son, but facing retirement, his safety net was disappearing.

"If I needed something, I'd always say, 'Well, give me the paper, I'll go home and fill it out,' or I'd take my wife with me," said Goolsby. "People with the same disability that I have, you know how to get around stuff, you learn the shortcut for someone to help you."

It's not uncommon to find adults headed for retirement who do not have sufficient reading skills. Goolsby began as one of 30 million American adults who cannot read beyond a simple sentence and the 7 million who can't read at all, according to the National Institute for Literacy.

Rosie Manela, adult literacy program director at the Rancho Cucamonga Library, where Goolsby takes literacy lessons, said fear of embarrassment often prevents adults from seeking help.

"It is sad, because in this fast-paced technology, this competitive global economy, our country is going to suffer if we don't do anything about that," she said. READ MORE

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San Bernardino Co Library - Give the gift of literacy at Yucaipa Branch Library

Give the gift of literacy at Yucaipa Branch Library
SB Sun: December 19, 2008 by Bob Otto

There are the tangible gifts that people give during the holiday season. They may last a day, a week, maybe a year - or be forgotten as soon as the wrapping paper is ripped off.

But the gift that keeps on giving, now that's the gift that really matters. And the Yucaipa Branch Library has such a gift: The gift a tutor gives a student when they help them learn how to read.

Debbie Seawright, Literacy Specialist at the library says that tutors are special and very giving people. "Our literacy tutors have the desire and willingness to give of their time," she said.

For the tutor, the reward comes in helping a student grow in confidence and reading ability. And Seawright has seen friendships and bonds form that last for years.

"We have some tutors and students who have built a strong rapport and have been together for years," Seawright said. "Tutors help students better themselves; some go on to college, and for grandparents who have never learned to read, they can now read to their grandchildren." READ MORE !

At 70, the joy of writing holiday letters for first time

At 70, the joy of writing holiday letters for first time
RecordNet: Dec 20, 2008 by Tony Sauro

Joe Valles already has received a joyful Christmas gift. The 70-year-old Stockton resident finally was able to write a letter to his 9-year-old granddaughter in Crawley, Texas.

"It feels great," said Valles, a retired longshoreman who was able to achieve his goal after being tutored weekly since June in the Stockton-San Joaquin County Library's adult literacy program. "I'm confident in my writing."

Valles proudly is sending Christmas cards to all nine of his grandchildren. "Our goal was for him to write his first letter by Christmas," said Christina Cordova, 42, a Stockton mother of four who was Valles' tutor at Cesar Chavez Central Library. "It's the first letter he's ever written. It's so awesome. My kids think it's awesome, too. We wanted him to be able to read his own prescription labels, checks and mail."

"She gave me lots of homework," said Valles, whose wife of 42 years, Angelina, an Edison High School graduate, also encouraged him.

"It's funny," he said. "I kidded around, saying I was gonna write a book as soon as I learn to write."

Valles met Cordova when he took his 8-year-old granddaughter, Isabella, to a swimming lesson.

Valles, a father of three who was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, moved to Stockton with his migrant farm worker family when he was four. He only finished the third grade.

"I could read, more or less a little bit, but I couldn't write," Valles said. "Now I can read the newspaper, but I've still got a lot to learn. I thought I could never do this."

He's an inspiring example of what such literacy programs can achieve.

"The program is going good," said Anne Turner, a library assistant in the literacy and outreach department at Cesar Chavez. "It's evolving. We're seeing progress. It's been great. We're getting more students and tutors, but we would like more volunteers." READ MORE