Put yourself in others shoes before making judgment.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Respect also means reaching out!

Always smile and make eye contact when speaking to someone.

Be Nice! Respect all people.

Respectamos uno a los otros.

Be trustworthy.

Luis came to the Literacy Program to seek help in reaching his goal which was to “learn to read so that he could read to his children”. That was all, he just wanted to learn to read so he could read to his children. He would meet his Tutor at the Branigan Memorial library, they would sit in the Children’s Section, they would pick a book and together would read through a children’s book. In about 2 months time he was able to read through a book on his own. His children started to come to the sessions with him, and they would quietly wait for their dad to finish, then dad and children would pick a book and he would read to them – goal accomplished!! Luis continues to meet with his Tutor and has advanced his reading skills.

As the temporary Literacy Coordinator for the Literacy Volunteers of Doña Ana County, I have had the pleasure of witnessing adult Learners acquire the vital literacy skills to be able to read the necessary materials to conduct their lives with dignity and respect. I have witnessed the transformation of a young lady, who started out with low self-esteem, would not make eye contact or engage in dialogue, into a vibrant ray of sunshine. She walks in with her held high, mega-watt smile, bounce to her step, making eye-contact, and engaging in dialogue. She has acquired a level of confidence she did not have before, and that has enabled her to develop the vital basic literacy skills, we all need, necessary to be a functioning and contributing member of society.