Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) recently celebrated the graduation of 45 adult learners whose new skills in ESL, reading, or math have led to better jobs, higher pay, citizenship, and confidence they can achieve their goals.  

Qambar Ali Sarwari was awarded the Extraordinary Student of the Year

One of the graduates, Qambar Ali Sarwari, an Afghan immigrant, received the “Outstanding Student Award” for his extraordinary drive to improve his English skills since arriving in the U.S.  “When I came to Michigan, I had two jobs, one full time job and one part time job because we were at the beginning of the process of settlement,” Sarwari said. Even with the demanding schedule, he made time to learn with his tutor, Frances Hammond. “She was kind and she helped me with the scheduling of those things, and she always would provide me a really good source for materials,” he said. He is now seeking a job in accounting. 

Tutor Connie and Student Brenda also celebrated Brenda’s US naturalization ceremony the same day as OLC graduation

Graduates accepted certificates for English, in both reading and listening, and mathematics.

Tutor Meera helped Isabel advance in her career.

Meera D’Souza spoke of Isabel Romero, an English student from Venezuela: “The first time we met [in August], she said she wanted to get a new job with a higher salary. By December 5th, she had the new job with a much higher salary.”  

In a similar story, reading graduate from Mexico, Isvi Schelesky, said of her tutor Jessica Shefman: “I’m very grateful to Jessica because she helped me accomplish two of the biggest goals in my life.” Because of her progress forward and English reading, she was able to secure a lead manager position at her job along with U.S. citizenship. 

Graduate Jacob Stoll spoke of his struggles before completing the mathematics program: “When I first started, I would look at a problem and kinda cringe and wonder where my memory had gone. Now I have a newfound confidence to actually be able to break things down and make it more simple and realistic.” 

Tutor Linda celebrated Keiko’s accomplishments.

Frankie brought her son to celebrate her math graduation.

The graduation, hosted at Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills, saw nearly 100 participants which included graduates, tutors, OLC board members, and family members. The ceremony concluded with hearty applause and great excitement for the bright futures ahead.  

Oakland Literacy Council has been serving the metro Detroit community for over 39 years providing tutoring services in English, listening, reading, mathematics, and digital literacy. Adult learners are partnered with personal tutors that work one-on-one with them online or in person. Every year, a graduation ceremony is held to commemorate those who have completed, and often excelled, in their programs of choice. 

The political unrest in Iran caused to send his sons to the United States. Forty years later, he followed them. 

Mahmoud Fotouhi was a doctor in Iran, and he would like to use his professional skills here to help others as his English improves.

At 95 years old, Mahmoud Fotouhi from Iran shows that regardless of age and circumstance, anyone can learn English as long as they devote time to it. 

One year ago, the retired doctor moved from Iran to the United States to be with his family. Upon his arrival, Fotouhi encountered a problem: “I [could not] connect with my son, my daughter-in-law, my grandson, granddaughter, and other people,” he says. Fotouhi took initiative and joined OLC’s English program in January. 

Now, he is exceeding expectations. Twice every week, Fotouhi meets with his tutor, retired English teacher, Bob Clement, for English language lessons.

Tutor Bob Clement says Mahmoud’s progress has been astonishing.

“Mahmoud is the only student I have had who does more homework exercises than are requested,” Clement says, “and I’m impressed with the questions he will ask about the language . . .”

Back in Iran, Fotouhi and his family lived in the city of Mashhad, where he had his medical practice. “I was an ear, nose and throat doctor, and I had a good situation in Iran,” he says. However, because of the political unrest, daily life in Iran became more complicated. “After the revolution, [in the early 1980s], the university became closed in Iran . . . and I decided to send my sons to America for their studies,” he recalls. At the time, his sons were 22, 20, and 18. “They studied here and became citizens and decided to be in America forever.”  

Fotouhi stayed behind and continued his practice for more than 60 years. “I liked to help the people by doing my practice,” he says. However, when his wife died, he was left all alone, so he decided to follow his children. Before leaving for the US, he practiced English as much as he could on his own.  

Clement became a tutor with Oakland Literacy Council in 2005, a year after he retired from 33 years of teaching. When a colleague mentioned tutoring, he decided to become involved in giving back to the community.  “I was a teacher of English and history and was aware of how important it is to use language correctly and became aware of how important it is for adults to be literate in order to be able to participate in the society,” he says. “Tutoring Mahmoud has been a wonderful experience for me. . . His motivation to continue learning into his senior years is inspiring.” 

From this experience, Clement has learned his own lessons. He says: 

I’ve learned some about the culture of Iran and am reminded that people everywhere are the same, with the same hopes, goals, fears, and so forth. I have not experienced some of the difficulties Mahmoud has in his life, and I’m inspired by how he has dealt with his setbacks and facing the obstacles that he has.  

Clement says he is impressed with Fotouhi’s progress. “I mean he’s a senior citizen native to Iran, new to America, who has a large vocabulary, and can write in cursive. I mean, how many people can do that? I’m impressed with his reading ability, and our focus is to move his ability to listen and comprehend the spoken word . . .”  

Fotouhi says he is “very, very excited” about his tutoring experience. He says: “I am able to understand what [Clement] says, which is very good, and he is very cautious and [tries] to understand what I’m saying.”  

Currently, Fotouhi maintains some of the highest hours of practice at OLC, averaging over 45 hours a month on the English learning software, Burlington English. “His dedication and pace of learning is inspiring. I certainly don’t have that kind of stamina and I am 40 years younger,” comments OLC Executive Director Lisa Machesky. 

Fotouhi now lives with his middle son and his family in metro-Detroit. He keeps an active lifestyle. “Everyday, I go to the gym and I go for one and a half to two hours,” he says.  In order to exercise his English, every week, he attends a conversation group to practice with other non-native English speakers. 

In the future, both gentlemen aspire to continue helping people. Clement would like to continue using his knowledge to assist English learners.  “I feel satisfied and rewarded by being able to use what I consider my natural talent,” Clement says. “I was not very good at math and science when I was in school, but language has seemed to come easily and I enjoyed reading . . .” Tutoring allows Clement to continue to share his love for the language while helping others.  

Fotouhi shares a similar interest within his own field. Because of his detailed medical knowledge, he would like to use his extensive experience as a doctor to contribute to the field of medicine here in the U.S. He says: “I will be happy if to find a location to help . . . and to learn something about the medicine and to help the community. . . . “ 

Machesky has led the OLC since 2016

Lisa Machesky, the Executive Director of Oakland Literacy Council, has been selected to be a 2023 Detroit Workforce Leadership Academy Fellow. The Academy is a collaboration between the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program and the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. The participants of The Academy come from various fields such as medicine, energy, education, construction, and nonprofit organizations. They are chosen for their leadership and experience in strengthening the regional workforce system.   

Fellows come together throughout the year to exchange detailed insights and knowledge about the workforce system and the struggles workers often face from the system and the larger economy. The Fellows will work together to find regional solutions to these challenges so that metro Detroit residents will have better access to high quality training and employment. Through their efforts, the Fellows hope to expand the number of people working in more secure, higher-paying jobs in Detroit’s near future.  

From her own experience in working in nonprofit organizations, Ms. Machesky will contribute her own detailed knowledge of the workforce and the obstacles it faces today.  

Ms. Machesky has been serving Oakland County for almost twenty years. She has worked in various nonprofit organizations and has been long-time serving Executive Director of the Oakland Literacy Council based in Pontiac, Michigan. Within this organization, Ms. Machesky and her team work to build the foundational knowledge of individuals struggling in subjects such as English language, reading, writing, math and digital literacy to help them secure careers and better livelihoods. She states: “I am excited about this opportunity because foundational skills aren’t often seen as essential to workforce planning, yet they influence everything in someone’s career.” To Ms. Machesky, to be selected for this honor serves as an important acknowledgment of the need for foundational skills in the workplace.  

Join a growing team in our new Pontiac office. See job descriptions.

Development Director

Reading and Writing Program Coordinator 

Elaine Cruz came to the U.S. in 2019 as a teenager from Venezuela, leaving behind an inflation rate of 500%, an economy in tatters, and an authoritarian president.

Elaine lived with her aunt in Rochester Hills while her parents remained in Venezuela. After graduating high school as an ESL student, Elaine began taking English lessons with Oakland Literacy Council volunteer tutor Cathy Fitzpatrick. As Elaine’s reading and listening skills improved, she began thinking about a career in behavioral therapy as a way to serve children in need, particularly those with autism.

In late 2022, Elaine took a course to become a registered behavioral technician (RBT), an entry-level employee in her chosen field. She credits Cathy’s help with passing the certification exam and putting her on the path toward a high-demand job.

“The class was so difficult,” Elaine said. “There were so many terms that were similar, and so much information I had to learn. Cathy helped me a lot to understand the terms and the examples.”

Cathy’s professional background is in history and education, not therapy. She downloaded a study guide for the RBT exam, along with a workbook, and flashcard set. She set out to understand the material herself. “On her own, Elaine was studying and taking practice exams,” Cathy said. “Together, we went over the questions that she got wrong. I explained why and guided her to the correct answer…I am very proud of her hard work!”

Elaine is waiting for the renewal of her work permit, so she can use her new credentials to get a job. She plans to work as a behavioral technician while saving money to go to college to become a board-certified behavior analyst, the top job in her field.

Cathy, meanwhile, continues to help Elaine brush up her speaking skills. “She has already come a long way since we began tutoring together” almost two years ago, Cathy says.

Tutor Irene Sinclair pictured with Governor Gretchen Whitmer at the Governor’s Service Awards held at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on November 17, 2022.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission honored 46 individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Service Awards and applauded their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy in an awards ceremony held November 17th at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

Oakland Literacy tutor Irene Sinclair was awarded the Civic Engagement Impact Award.

“Michigan succeeds because of Michiganders who go above and beyond to serve their communities and lift up others,” said Governor Whitmer. “This year’s winners get things done even when nobody’s looking because they know that every contribution makes a huge impact. I am honored to present the Governor’s Service Awards to this year’s 46 recipients and urge every Michigander to get involved in their community so we can move our state forward together.”

Irene with former OLC student Elena who attended the event to celebrate her former tutor

Irene Sinclair, at every level, is tireless in her efforts to help English language learners improve the quality of life for themselves and their families. Irene spent her professional life as an adult educator in Detroit Public Schools (DPS). During her tenure with DPS, she oversaw several adult education learning centers, trained adult education teachers, wrote curriculum, and taught both foreign-born and native-born adults with low literacy levels. Since her retirement, Irene has generously shared her deep knowledge and dedication to adult literacy as a volunteer with Oakland Literacy Council (OLC). Irene has dedicated eight years and over 1,000+ volunteer hours to OLC where she has made a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of hundreds of tutors and adult learners. Over the years, Irene developed and delivered supplemental professional development workshops to volunteers on topics including lesson planning and conversational skills. In addition to volunteering with OLC, Irene served as a community mediator for Oakland Mediation Center helping parties peacefully resolve conflicts. In the words of Irene, “Literacy gives people opportunities to live fuller lives. That’s my strongest reason for being committed to adult learning.”

“We are so excited to see the Governor recognize the hard work of Irene,” said OLC Executive Director Lisa Machesky, “she is such a fierce advocate for adult education and has been a mentor to our staff and to so many of our tutors.  She truly has made an impact on the lives of so many.”

You can see more of Irene’s story at the Michigan Heros website: Michigan Heroes Project

Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) is seeking an experienced Development Director to support the ongoing growth and expansion of OLC adult literacy programs and services. Previously a part-time position, the full-time Development Director will report to and work in a collaborative partnership with the Executive Director with a primary goal of increasing individual, corporate, and foundation giving, including sponsorship for an established annual event. Responsibilities also include management of the donor database, donor stewardship, and donor communications.

Salary is $70,000 – $75,000 with benefits including membership in AFP.  A copy of the full job description and application instructions can be found at https://www.oaklandliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Development-Director.pdf

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

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

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.”