This week, we had our site visit by the United Way volunteers who help determine if or how much United Way funding our program gets. After we gave the group a tour of our classrooms, we had one of our students come speak. She was so nervous. I told her these volunteers are some of the nicest people around, and were really interested in what she has to say.
She came in the Board room, so anxious she kept her hands in her pockets of her hoodie the whole time. She talked about how she came here to work on her GED, because she was teased during high school, not only by the students, but a few teachers too. She has a little trouble with dyslexia, and really had a tough time at school. She ended up dropping out. She told the volunteers she decided she had to get her GED because she wanted a better future for her and her two little kids. She said, “I never thought I could do this.” Christi, our education director, asked her to tell the volunteers about passing her first GED test. She just smiled so big, when told them about passing her reading test. And she said, I really like coming to Learning Lab. I know more about how to teach my kids. She said she was so proud of her little girl, “she’s only 2 and a half and she can count to ten and knows her ABC song.”
Well, I am standing against the wall, and a big lump is in my throat. It isn’t cool for the director to cry at stuff like this. I swallowed hard, looked up so the tears wouldn’t come. Our student finished her comments in the same nervous way. She said thank you to all the people there.
Still gets to me. This sweet young mom thought she couldn’t learn. But she can, and she is. Thanks to everyone who helps Learning Lab, her teachers, her volunteer tutors, and every single person in our community that has decided to support our work.
Come meet some of our students and our staff at this year’s Lunch for Literacy on February 5th at the Boise Centre. We would love to see you there!
Ann Heilman, Executive Director
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