by Annie Waldman, Aliyya Swaby and Anna Clark, with additional reporting by Nicole Santa Cruz

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Alexandra Williams wanted to change careers from a low-paying job as a nurse assistant. Her brother works in robotics, and she knew she could earn more money and advance her career faster in the high-demand field of robotics. She secured a scholarship through the state of Michigan for a robotics technician program at Oakland Community College. But then she hit a roadblock: she failed the qualifying entrance test to enroll in the program. Her math skills were too low. “If you don’t use that math, you lose it,” she explained.

But Alexandra, 32 years old, was determined. Oakland Literacy Council zeroed in on the specific math skills she needed relevant to a career in robotics and provided her with one-on-one tutoring as well as an online curriculum. “Oakland Literacy helped me to quickly build the specific math skills I needed,” she said.

Alexandra enrolled in the 16-week robotics program, graduated, and quickly had three job offers as a robotics technician. She accepted an offer from FANUC Robotics in Rochester Hills and begins in January. During the interview, she was asked about her math skills, and she felt confident she had the skills for the job. “I’m really excited,” she said. “This is a career I can grow to love. The world will be running off robots in the future.”

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan recognized the need for a full-time student coordinator to keep 300+ adult learners on track

Thanks to the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, student coordinator Amanda Powe (right) can meet with Teresa (left) to review her progress.

Just like for young children and teenagers, the road to learning for adults isn’t always a straight line.

“Our adults are often juggling many work and family responsibilities,” says student coordinator Amanda Powe. “They come in expecting so much of themselves but often have learning, emotional, and practical barriers to overcome. COVID-19 only added new curves.”

Thankfully, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan recognized the critical need for more individual student support. Last year, the foundation awarded a $42,000 grant to Oakland Literacy Council to make the student coordinator a full-time position for the 2021-2022 program year. The grant also included technology for student communication and instruction.

“The effects of the pandemic on adult education, digital literacy, and access to technology have been significant,” says Ric DeVore, president, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. “We are pleased to collaborate with Oakland Literacy Council as they provide individualized staff and technology support to adult learners impacted by COVID-19. This program is helping our community to recover and thrive, and we look forward to the impact it will have in our region.”

“Now I am able to build an individual learning plan with each student,” says Amanda. “I make sure they know I am here for them if anything comes up and will do all I can to help them achieve their goals.”

OLC graduate Zaw and his tutor and friend, Tom Barnes, celebrated Zaw’s accomplishments at the graduation ceremony on July 12th at Kirk in the Hills. (No, they were not “twinning” on purpose!)

Tutor  Tom Barnes, came to OLC looking to add new dimensions to his life following retirement.

Tom recalls he was asking himself, “What do I really want to do and how do I want to help the world?”

Recent Oakland Literacy Council graduate Zaw came to OLC with many goals for learning English, including communicating with coworkers and customers better.

“At my job, I’m alone, so I do not speak much. My department coworkers just say ‘hi’ and not too much else,” says Zaw.

Zaw’s drive to learn and Tom’s drive has been a perfect match for learning and friendship.

Five years ago, Zaw immigrated with his family from Myammar, a country and people now suffering following the recent military coup. In the U.S., Zaw faces a different kind of challenge: learning English while working 50 hours a week as a sushi chef and caring for wife, Le Le,  and young son. Zaw and LeLe (also an OLC graduate!) are expecting their second child soon.

Zaw also wanted to improve his English to be able to travel around the U.S. with his family to see places like Niagara Falls. In addition, he wants to be able to go to doctor’s appointments on his own. These appointments require a lot of English communication.

Learning English with Tom has helped Zaw become more confident in speaking English. He can also listen to English and convert what he wants to say from Burmese into English faster than before.

Tom Barnes was a dedicated engineer at Ford for 36 years, enjoying his work and his traveling throughout his career. After retiring at the end of 2020, Tom considered how he would spend his newfound time.

He says that, even though as an engineer he leans toward math, he always thought he wanted to help people read.

“I remember one of the books I read when I was a little kid was about Tom Seaver, the pitcher, in 1969. And having the Guiness Book of World Records and the almanac. [Reading] takes you places; it takes you anywhere.”

Tom feels that through tutoring Zaw he has had his eyes opened and grown more empathetic from seeing how the challenges others face and how he can impact their lives. Tom respects and values Zaw as a friend.

“Zaw’s been the same person the whole time I’ve known him…very dedicated, honest, very reliable…,” says Tom. “He is a fine person.”

Zaw and Tom no longer meet for tutoring, but their friendship continues. They talk regularly and recently played tennis together. Coincidently, they even dressed alike at the OLC graduation in July!

Zaw’s need to learn English brought Tom and Zaw together. Their relationship has made an impact on their lives that is well beyond words.

— With special thanks to Jackson Latek, recent Eastern Michigan University graduate, for helping us tell Zaw and Tom’s story

Oakland Literacy Council graduate Asuncion is grateful for “having a person who taught only me.”

Recent OLC graduate Asuncion was a process engineer in Mexico. Now she’s ready to resume her profession in the U.S.

Once Asuncion began meeting with a tutor, her reading skills grew quickly but she struggled with listening. In 2021, she even asked for a two-month break from tutoring when she became frustrated after a disappointing test result.

However, with the help of tutor Michele Dragisity, Asuncion persevered and she graduated in March! Asuncion currently works at Marshall’s retail store but is now taking steps to find a job as a production/manufacturing supervisor or process engineer.

Asuncion shared her experience:

“When I arrived in to USA, my friends told me that OLC could help me learn English, they would provide me a tutor to practice, and they told me that OLC was one of the best institutions for adults to learn English, that is why I decided to enter OLC. 

OLC was the best school for me because from the beginning they gave me a tutor, it was wonderful for me, with the fact of having a person who taught me only me, this gave me the confidence and certainty that I could do it without fear of people make fun of me for making mistakes, That’s how they helped me learn not only English but also American culture and customs.

My goal is to develop myself in the work environment as an engineer, of course I have the knowledge, but I want to prove to myself that I can work as an engineer in a foreign country and with a different language.”

Asuncion has updated her resume and is beginning her job search. OLC has connected Asuncion with the Troy Michigan Works! office where she can get assistance connecting with employers. Congratulations, Asuncion and Michele!

Tricia feels encouraged by her student’s upbeat spirit and dedication to learning English.

Empathetic and humble, Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) tutor Tricia Jacobs practices what she preaches – literally.

In the fall of 2020, Tricia moved to Michigan with her family when she became the senior pastor at University Presbyterian Church (UPC) in Rochester Hills. Like most newcomers, she was seeking to get involved in the community and build balance in her life.

“I knew from previous experience as a pastor that the church work can be all consuming, and so I really wanted to do something that was different from going to church meetings,” Tricia explains.

Tricia learned about the opportunity to tutor when OLC Executive Director Lisa Machesky presented to the UPC congregation following a Sunday worship service.

The University Presbyterian Church community is a wonderful partner and advocate for adult literacy. For several years, the congregation has donated a portion of one month’s collections to OLC. The church is sponsoring a refugee family from Afghanistan, and OLC is providing literacy tutoring for family members.

Tricia, along with church member and OLC reading/math tutor Leslie Littell, enrolled in tutor training shortly after the presentation.

Tricia has a unique appreciation for the challenges ESL students face. She was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo where her parents were missionaries.

“I really have an admiration for people who come from another country because I’ve traveled a lot to different countries, and I know how hard it is to adjust to a different language and different culture,” Tricia said.

Tricia was paired with “Julia,” who immigrated from Mexico with her teenage children three years ago. When she enrolled at Oakland Literacy Council in January 2021, Julia’s English reading and listening skills were at the low intermediate level and she had no computer experience.

Julia learned to use the computer provided by OLC. The pair meet twice a week on Zoom – early in the morning before they both go to work. They use the Burlington English online program to practice vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. They keep track of difficult words to pronounce and share a lot of laughs along the way, especially when working on tricky words like “toothache.”

A year later, Julia has progressed to the high intermediate level in listening and the advanced level in reading. She has gained confidence communicating with doctors, teachers, and customers at the barber shop where she works.

Julia is so grateful for Tricia, describing her as “superwoman!” The feeling goes both ways.

“It’s a great way to start my day and I so admire [Julia],” says Tricia. “She’s just such a positive spirit and just her smile encourages me, so it’s been a great joy to know her and to work with her.”

Pictured clockwise from the top left: Mita Bhavsar, Ashelin Currie PhD, Robert Steeh, and Ellen Lipton joined OLC’s board of directors in January.

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Oakland Literacy Council announces the appointment of four new members to its board of directors following its annual meeting in January. Joining the board are Mita Bhavsar, Ashelin Currie PhD, Ellen Lipton, and Robert Steeh. Also at the meeting, John Almstadt was elected as the new board chairperson, succeeding Judy Lindstrom, who held the position for 18 years.

“Our new board members bring to the organization a wealth of government, business, and education expertise,“ says Executive Director Lisa Machesky. “I am looking forward to the unique guidance and opportunity that Mita, Ashelin, Ellen, and Bob will each provide as we continue building reading, math, digital literacy, and workforce preparation programs and continue taking steps to reach community members who most need literacy services. I am also excited to see the outcomes of this new leadership. John was instrumental in building a strong transition plan over the last year, and he will lead us into a new stage of growth and community impact.”

Mita Bhavsar is a director at FINNEA Group, a financial services firm in Oakland County. She is an industry expert in data modeling, with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries. Mita is a community advocate with a focus on math literacy. She is “passionate about education and believes that knowledge truly is power.” Mita has served as a volunteer GED Math instructor and worked with multiple nonprofit organizations leading math boot camps, promoting STEM education for young women, and ensuring that teenagers at risk for dropping out of school have a path to higher education and trade programs.  She is a certified diversity and inclusion facilitator. Mita graduated from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, with a Bachelor of Mathematics. She lives in Farmington Hills.

Dr. Ashelin Currie is a literacy consultant at Oakland Schools. In her role, she supports school district leaders, literacy coaches, and teachers, with the goal of delivering effective and appropriate literacy instruction to all students. Ashelin is the president of the Detroit Affiliate of the National Black Child Development Institute. She works extensively with children and families and other community organizations to implement systems to improve the academic lives of students beyond the school setting. Ashelin obtained her Doctorate in Reading and Language Arts with a concentration in emergent literacy from Oakland University. She earned her Master of Arts in Reading Education from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University. Ashelin lives in Pontiac.

Ellen Lipton is a member of the Michigan Board of Education and president of the Michigan Promise Zone Association, which supports free community college tuition, technical training, and certification to students in select communities in Michigan. She previously served six years as a Michigan State Representative. Ellen has been a tireless advocate for education, committed to eliminating educational inequities and ensuring affordable higher education. A patent attorney, Ellen graduated from Harvard Law School and earned her bachelor’s degree from Williams College. She lives in Huntington Woods.

Robert Steeh has spent his career dedicated to community education. He recently retired after 22 years as director of community education for Novi Schools. For the previous 22 years, he served as assistant community education director for Brighton Area Schools. Bob currently serves as past president of the Michigan Association for Community and Adult Education (MACAE) and is a member of the Oakland County Workforce Development Board. “I look forward to serving on the OLC board. With my 44 years working in adult education, it is my hope to help bring greater access to literacy programs for adults,” says Bob. He received his master’s degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University and bachelor’s degree in education from Central Michigan University. Bob lives in Brighton.

John Almstadt, OLC’s new board chairperson, is a longtime board member and the retired director of Oakland County Michigan Works!

John Almstadt, new OLC chairperson and longtime board member, has over 30 years of experience in workforce development. He is the former director of Oakland County Michigan Works!. He lives in Oakland Township. His predecessor, Judy Lindstrom, was appointed chairperson emeritus in honor of her 25 years of service to the organization and advocacy for adult learners in Oakland County. Robert Gaylor, Judy Bryce, and Paula Brown were reelected as vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer, respectively.

Tutor and board member Ann Manning recently visited her mother and fellow OLC tutor, Jeanine Nazareth. Jeanine lives in Portugal.

When Oakland Literacy Council board member and volunteer tutor Ann Manning was just 12, her mother, Jeanine Nazareth, did extensive volunteer work to launch and operate the nonprofit organization, Pittsburgh Public Theater. Jeanine remembers that Ann grew to share her mom’s passion for the project and was soon busily recruiting other kids to help stuff envelopes and distribute flyers.

Decades later, the tables have turned, and Ann is now the one enlisting Jeanine’s help for a cause close to her heart. Ann, who has served on the board since 2013, has helped her mother, who is now 81 and lives in Portugal, to become a one-on-one virtual tutor for an OLC student.

Ann says that her mom has always been engaged in the community, but the pandemic’s restrictions and some health challenges had combined to limit Jeanine’s activities. “She likes being out there helping people so much. It was hard for her to be increasingly confined and isolated,” Ann shares.

When OLC moved from in-person to online tutoring, Ann realized that technology could now make it possible for Jeanine to volunteer and engage with others without the challenge of needing to be physically present. Jeanine jumped at the opportunity, learned how to use Zoom, and was paired with a student, Milene, who has lived in the U.S. for four years and came to OLC seeking greater English fluency.

Jeanine finds helping a foreign-born student especially exciting because she herself is not a native English speaker. Born in Belgium, Jeanine grew up speaking French. As a young woman she taught herself English and, with her Portuguese husband, moved to the U.S. for his education. Upon arriving in America, Jeanine quickly learned that while she was adept at written English, she struggled greatly with pronunciation, and it took years for her to master spoken English. Today, she helps Milene, who immigrated from Brazil, hone her English-speaking skills and gain confidence.

“My student’s husband and children have made a point to join our Zoom lessons twice just to thank me and encourage Milene,” Jeanine shares. “They say, ‘Jeanine, you did a miracle with her! For four years she’s been trying but had no one to correct her pronunciation. Now she is starting to speak really well!’”

Jeanine applauds her student’s progress and shares in her success. “I get equal reward,” Jeanine states, referring to the fulfillment and purpose that volunteering brings her. Jeanine’s daughter, Ann, concurs: “Every opportunity I find to help people is a real gift to me,” she says, “I’m grateful that as a child, my mom showed me the value of contributing, and now I’ve passed that along to my own kids.”

 – With special thanks to guest writer Anne Moyer for telling this story

After retiring from a career in engineering, Phil Swisher didn’t sit still long. His passion for personal connection led him to extend his cheery demeanor to help others as an Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) volunteer tutor.

Since joining OLC, Phil has tutored three students, all who have immigrated to the U.S. from Korea. His two former students have both graduated from OLC’s program!

Phil’s students have shared a common goal – to improve their English in the workplace. But that goal has meant something different for each student, so Phil has tailored his approach to meet each student’s needs.

2020 graduate Jeongmun, who was working in logistics and product control, became more proficient speaking with customers on the phone. Phil helped Jeongmun expand her vocabulary by providing vocabulary lists, practicing reading and summarizing articles, and giving creative writing assignments, including poetry. 2021 graduate Jihyun wanted to improve his formal presentation skills to better show his company’s automotive products to potential customers. Phil and Jihyun spent hours on Zoom rehearsing the presentations. Phil’s current student, Kunwoo, wants to improve his English to socialize more comfortably with coworkers, so Phil and Kunwoo focus on informal conversation and American colloquialisms.

As a tutor, Phil consistently goes above and beyond by creating extensive and individualized lesson plans and unique exercises to help his students build language skills. He designs his lessons around each students’ competency level and goals. Phil keeps personalized binders for each of his students, which contain their lesson plans and pictures of their achievements upon graduating. Jeongmun noted that Phil clearly understood her comprehension level and was able to advise her with whatever she needed. Phil also makes a point of checking in with his students who have graduated.

Tea-ching Words of Wisdom

Phil uses a large swath of resources, including article databases provided by Oakland Literacy Council. His hallmark exercise involves a collection of tags from Salada tea bags. Each tea bag features “Words of Wisdom.”  At the end of each session, students pick a tea bag. These special messages advance students’ reading, listening, writing, and comprehension skills and have the added benefit of some sage advice! (Phil also compiles posters on the computer that feature his students’ favorite Salada Tea Words of Wisdom.)

Despite his obvious passion for teaching and glowing reviews from his students, Phil is incredibly humble about his role, often downplaying his talent as a tutor. Phil prefers to highlight his students’ hard work and notes that, “Students don’t realize how good their English is!” Additionally, he maintains an open-minded approach to teaching his students and appreciates the opportunity to learn from them in return.

Bloomfield Hills, MI – Oakland Literacy Council announces the recent appointments of two new members to its board of directors. Joining the board are Shelley Taub and Damany Head.

“Our new board members bring to our organization valuable government and business expertise and belief in the power of literacy to advance communities,” says Lisa Machesky, Executive Director.

“We are fortunate to have Shelley, a longtime education advocate with 28 years serving in state and county government, and Damany, an entrepreneur and Pontiac business leader, to provide guidance and connect us to vital resources as we grow to meet the enormous need for adult literacy services in Oakland County.”

Shelley Taub, OLC Board Member

Shelley Taub was elected twice as Oakland County Commissioner, serving a total of 20 years until retiring in 2020. She also served one term as State of Michigan Representative. A former teacher, Shelley believes, “if you can ready, you can do anything.” As a member of the Oakland County Library Board, she worked to secure government funding for adult literacy. As a board member, Shelley wants to help open new sources of government and foundation funding.  Shelley graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and completed post-graduate work in education, business, and medical management at the University of Kansas and University of Missouri.

Damany Head, OLC Board Member

Damany Head is the principal owner of Essential Recycling, a Pontiac-based business that provides recycling services to the HVAC industry. He has served over six years as chair of the Pontiac Regional Chamber. He is committed to economic development in Pontiac and increasing the per capita income of Pontiac residents. Damany believes that workforce development and breaking the cycle of illiteracy in families is essential. “Oakland Literacy really focuses on adults and young adults in Pontiac. I think that’s really critical – to think about the forwarding of educational outcomes though the ongoing education of adults and the community.”  Damany graduated from Ohio Northern University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.