A single mom with two children arrived in Springfield from Chicago. She had a high school diploma but few math skills. When she began participating in Lawrence Education’s Family Literacy Program, the woman believed she wasn’t smart and had no hope for her future.

By the time she completed the Family Literacy program, the woman had not only improved her math score but discovered a love of reading. When she began to write reflections of books in her journal, she discovered a love of writing. The woman enrolled in classes at the University of Illinois at Springfield to work towards a degree in social work. She has been able to obtain a job and insists the Family literacy program “woke her up” and helped her to gain a sense of direction. She is now a powerful role model for her children, who have become fully engaged readers who have received honors in school for increased reading.