DOCUXENT RESUME CE 061 126 ED 345 039 Success Stories: From Learning to Earning. TITLE Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg. INSTITUTION Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education. PUB DATE 92 NOTE 28p. Reports - Descriptive (141) PUB TYPE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Achievement Gains/ *Adult Basic Education; Adult DESCRIPTORS Development; Adult Literacy; *Adult Students; *Biographies; Life Events; Lifelong Learning; *Literacy Education; *Outcomes of Education; Program Effectiveness; State Programs; *Success *Pennsylvania IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This publication presents the stories of 10 men and women who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become self-supporting citizens of Pennsylvania. Their stories tell how, through their participation in Pennsylvania's adult basic education and literacy programs, they were aided in their sUccessful struggles to enhance their reading and mathematics skills and to develop new career interests and opportunities. The 10 outstanding adult students are grouped by county; counties are presented alphabetically. The students and the programs in which they participated are as follows: Janes Gourley, Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12; Joyce Upshaw, ponnelley Skill Learning Center; Bernard Zenk, Greater Pittsburgh LiteracY Council; Betty Ann Frisby, Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC), Inc.; David Wingard, Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit #5; Khom Tuy, Lancaster Adult Enrichment Center; Irene Allen, Eagleville Hospital; Juanita James, .:fitrmantown Women's Educational Program; Alice Redman, Lutheran Settlement House Women's Program; and Ivan Cooper, Philadelphia OIC, Inc. Each story relates the student's life history, describes his or her adult basic education or literacy program experience, and tells how his or her life has changed. (YLB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** OUNEAU Of ADULT DASIC AND LITIOACY EDUCATION ?IMAMS SUCCESS STORIES: PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HONORS OUTSTANDING ADULT STUDENTS IN SUCCESS STORIES il it OEPOOPPlefter OP lOUCAMON Otece et acetone* eveeette one N,rorc.,eme,,t E CA TioNAL RESOURCES 04FORMATON c7E CENTER Into this document etas been reg1tiouce0 as 'moved i tom me person or onjen4eution m9~1-flit 4 0 cremes Pave wen made to improve Wm)* e reetoduction dueler At* Povis of yr** 09.mons si at ed m Una doc Or mem do net neceesenty terneeent oThetie (*Pt cestoon o poen, -.1 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS SEEN GRANTED By TO E EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INF RMATION CENTER (ERIC)" vi ./ COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Robert P. Casey, Governor DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Donald M. Carroll, Jr., Secretaty Office of Postsecondary and Higha Education Peter Garland, Acting Canminioner Bureau of Atha Bask and Literacy Education John Christopher, Director SUCCESS STORIES SELECTION COMMTITEE Sue Barron, AdvancE PDE Resource Center Samuel Brinton, ABE Director East Pennsboro Area School District Yvonne Edwards, Executive Director Mon Valley OIC Peggy Greene, Instruaor Harrisburg State Hospital John Heisey, Supenisor Lebanon Adul: Learning Center Ralph Morgan, Associate Executive Director Schuylkill IU //29 Dan Partin, 353 Advisor PDE, Bureau of ABLE Frank Paul, Instructor Red Land Community Action Program Beverly Thompson, Instructor Reading Area Community College Cynthia West, Community Relations Officer Dauphin Deposit Bank 3 BEST .J.1,7011. 4 MANMPINIUMPOWPONJWIPMSW.I.O.NRS*ILIENNIMMWVIASIA1.1/ COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR HARRISBURG Dear Reader: In this publication, SUCCESS SIORIES: From Learning to Earning, you will read the inspiring stories of V lutstamling men and women who have overcome seemingly insur- mountable obsta:les to become self-sumorting citizens of our Commonweath. Through their participation in Pennsylvania's adult basic education and literacy programs, they were aided in their successful struggles to enhance their reading and math skills and to develop new career interests and opportunities. The perseverance and hope demonstrated by these courageous adults is truly moving. Ellen and I have been strongly supportive of adult basic education efforts in our state. Over the past five years, we've backed up that support with an historic state investnwnt in adult literacy prognims. We are convinced that it takes this kind cieducational commitment to ensure that every citizen of our state has the opportunity to reach his/her highest potential in life. Nothing is more essential to the future competitiveness of our economy and vitality of our society than the education of our people. When people cannot read, they cannot participate fully in their workplaces or their communities. And we all suffer because of it. That's why it's so important for all of us to support efforts to improve literacy in our state. State government will continue its financial and moral commitment. But our success depends on the active involvement of everyone who cares about our future os a state and as a people. I hope that SUCCESS 5719RIE3: From Learning to Earning will inspire all of us to help bring the joys and rewanis of literacy and lifelong learning to every Pennsylvanian. Sincerely, 30.(it-zd oetta7 Robert P. Casey Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 2 5 TABLE OF CONTEMS ADAMS COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: James R. Gourley 4 Sponsor: Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 ALLEGHENY COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: Joyce Upshaw 6 Sponsor: Come Iley Skill Learning Center Outstanding Adult Student: Bernard Zenk Sponsor: Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council 8 CHESTER COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: Betty Ann G. Frisby Sponsor: Chester County OIC, Inc 10 ERIE COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: David Wingard Sponsor: Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit #5 12 LANCASTER COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: Khom Thy Sponsor: Lancaster Adult Enrichment Center 14 MONTGOMERY COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: Irene Allen Sponsor: Eagleville Hospital 16 PHILADELPHIA COUNTY Outstanding Adult Student: Juanita James Sponsor: Germantown Women's Educational Program 18 Outstanding Adult Student: Alice Redman 20 Sponsor: Lutheran Settlement House Women's Program Outstanding Adult Student: Ivan Cooper 22 Sponsor: Philadelphia OIC, Inc 3 "Instead of living life &Ping illiterate and canying that fear, I can now hold my head lukh and feel good about life." P7 BEV' Cid ft VA flABLE JAMES R. GOURLEY Adams County Program: Lincoln intermediate Unit #12 Sponsor: Philip Monteith As a rung boy, James R. Gourley remembers Intermediate Unit /12 and was given an award for his outstanding accomplishment. spending many nights in a car waiting for his father to come out of a bar, uncertain as to whether his father might fly Jim's attendance at the Northeast Regional Adult into a rage and become physically abusive to Jim's mother. Literacy Conference at Villanova University was made As a teenager, he became the target of his father's abuse possible by a scholarship. An article submitted by him can while trying to protect his mother and rimer siblings. His be read in Laubach Literacy International's anthology father's verbal abuse was constant. Wheat= had to repeat On My Mind. Jim volumeers many hours a week with the first and fifth grades, he was told he was stupid and the Attains County Literacy Council and is curtently would never amount to anything. In the seventh grade, after serving for a second yearcm the ham). He helps to run the spending five months in bed convalescing from scarlet fever Student Support Group and is an active member of the and rheumatic fever, he was passed on to the eighth grade Community Relations Committee. He has made public because of his age. He struggled, improvised and mimed service announcements for literacy on radio and speaks to high school till February of his senior year. Informed that high school students, girl scouts, church gimps and other there was no way be could pass, he left school to avoid the civic associations. When given an honorarium for his humiliation of not receiving a diploma. speech at a local library, he donated the entire amount to the literacy council. He also continues to be an active Joining the Marines in 1968, he found himself again in a situation where he needed to read and memorize. member of the Book Discussion Club. Although Jim remains at his job with a construction company, he is Added to his frustrations were the letters from his mother detailing the continued abuse. The combination proved planning to become a literacy tutor. more than he could handle. Jim had a nervous breakdown and was given an honorable discharge. He soon got a job as a manual laborer. Conscientious, hard-working and dependable, be found himself being promoted. But when he was promoted to jobs that requited him to do paperwork, he would quit before his empkvers learned he could not read. For a long time, he managed to hide his dark secret from his wife and two daughters. Suffering in silence, Jim's constant fear of failure led to depression and, in 1985, he was hospitalized after trying to take his life. In 1987, Jim attended a Chapter I parents' meeting where he learned about supportive reading programs. At his wife's suggestion, he called the Gettysburg Area Literacy Council. Making that call was one of the hardest 1 9( ? things he had ever done. Now he can laugh at the number of times he dialed and hung up quickly after the first ring. It was an uphill battle, calming his fears and overcoming his nervousness, but he stuck with it. By September 1989, Jim had completed Lambach Skill Book 4. When he was named the outstanding student of the year in 1990, Jim decided to try for his GED. He started evening classes September 1990 and graduated June 1991. He received his diploma in a cap-and-gown ceremony held at Lincoln 5 Afy hfe, is beginning today, and because mine is, so are others: JOYCE UPSHAW Allegheny County Program: Connelley Skill Learning Center Sponsor: Albert Fascetti DespiW her problems, she retained a strong belief ta When Joyce Upshaw was very young, her dad left her God and a smug work ethic. She completed her dem mother to support her and her three brothers. Being poor program and joined Narcotics Anonymous. She is still an and responsible for five people took its toll, and her mealier active member. In 1990, Joyce passed the GED at the Con- turned to alcohol. Joyce had attended four ditTerent schools nelley Skill Learning Center. This gave her the confidence by the time she v.is in fourth grade. When her father failed to apply for a position as a child care aide with the Pius- to attend her sixth grade graduation, she took the watch he burgh Public Schools. She is now working with the GED sent and "wound it till it broke." After that, she lost contsct with hint until she was 17. staff who help and encourage her. The Families for Learn- ing Program, where she works and contributes many hours At 17, Joyce got her own lime, became pregnam, and of overtime, is a family literacy program which promotet miscarried. She left school in the lith grade after the birth literacy at both an early and later age. Joyce is one of the of her first daughter. At age 19, a second daughwr was born. "fort holders" for this program and promotes it as well as AH of her children were fathered by the young man Joyce she promotes herself. She says: "My life is beginning to- met in sixth grade and married in 1978, when she was 22. day, and because mine is, so are °there!' A few days after that wedding, her husband, an enlisted man, left for military service in Missouri. Joyce began drinking to dull her feelings of loneliness and insecurity. In 1979, she moved to Texas with her husband and began working as a barmaid in the officers' club. Her proximity to alcohol, plus the fact that her husband was a heavy drinker, compounded her own problems. Drinking took its toll. The family was evided from base housing and began to struggle financially. kyce had a third child to save her marriage, then, she had her tubes tied without telling her husband. A':.'..vagn the marriage was a daily survival course, she truly loved him and wanted her children to be raised with a father. Joyce made a deal with her brother. She would work and take care of him if he stayed with her children. She went back to work in a bar, where her drinking led to involve- ment with cocaine. After three suicide attempts, Joyce entered a local hospital for rehabilit.ation. She divorced her husband in 1987. not wanting her third daughter to grow up in the same negative environment as her other two had. At this time, Joyce was attending school for Food Service training. Two weeks before graduation, her lung collapsed. She did not graduate. Instead, she began cleaning offices. Then she started to smoke crack. She dwindled down to 93 pounds and, after another suicide attempt, entered a detox program. In 1987, she finally graduated from the Food Service Training program. 7