This adult learner was bullied in school because he stuttered and had vision problems. He defended himself and ended up fighting often. When he couldn’t keep up with his studies due to being a slow learner, he dropped out of high school. Later on in life, he realized he needed to master his reading and math skills to survive.

The student began visiting Common Place and was matched with a tutor. At first the man was very quiet and unsure how to interact with people. In time, his people skills improved immensely.  He is now able to study on his own and is working hard with his tutor to pass the GED test. Improved reading skills and confidence allowed the man to obtain a job at a local grocery store. He also does maintenance work for Common Place and has reunited with his grandmother. Today, this adult learner is certain he will achieve his goals and believes anything is possible.

“I am honored to congratulate the twenty winners of the 2012 Spotlight literacy awards,” said White. “Many literacy students have overcome tremendous personal difficulties and obstacles to reach this level of achievement. I am also very proud to recognize the tutors for their generosity and encouragement in helping their literacy students achieve their utmost potential.”

The ten students honored for outstanding achievement in developing and improving their literacy skills are:

• Debra Bradford, John Wood Community College, Quincy
• Henry Dillon, Common Place Family Learning Center, Peoria
• Tywonda Edwards, Fishes & Loaves Outreach, Springfield
• Lovell Fisher, Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville
• Lola Jones, De La Salle Tolton Center, Chicago
• Gayla Karns, Frontier Community College, Fairfield
• Hilaria Ochoa, De La Salle Tolton Center, Chicago
• Frantz St. Fort, Indo-American Center, Chicago
• Darrell Taylor, Literacy Chicago
• Supaporn Yip, Albany Park Community Center, Chicago

The ten outstanding tutors honored for their contributions in helping literacy students reach their goals are:

• Lynn Campbell, Peoria Regional Superintendent of Schools, Peoria
• Naomi Crowell, Kaskaskia College, Centralia
• Mary Gercken, South Suburban College, South Holland
• Sister Lucy Giacchetti, SSND, Corazon a Corazon, Chicago
• Lori Hesterberg, Monroe/Randolph Regional Office of Education, Chester
• Yaro Hospodarsky, Rend Lake College, Ina
• Sheela Jeevanandam, De La Salle Tolton, Chicago
• Connie Jenkins, Project READ, Richland Community College, Decatur
• Terry Schlabach, Black Hawk College, Moline
• Rodney Yarger, Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley, St. Charles

Students and tutors are nominated by local providers that receive literacy grant funding from the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library Literacy Office. Each year ten students and ten tutors are honored. Students received a $200 check from the Illinois Press Association Foundation, and a congratulatory plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White. Tutors also received a congratulatory plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White, and a $200 donation to their tutoring organization by the Illinois Press Association Foundation.

“The Illinois Press Association is proud to participate in the Spotlight Awards literacy program that honors adult learners and tutors,” said Dennis M. DeRossett, executive director. “By now having the ability to read and to write, these honorees have new opportunities for a much better life for themselves and their families. We congratulate them for breaking through the barriers of illiteracy.”

Last year adult literacy programs that received grant funding provided educational services to 20,837 adult students. A total of 8,193 volunteer tutors statewide provided instruction to help students develop and enhance their reading, writing, math and language skills. Persons interested in becoming volunteer tutors are urged to contact the Illinois Adult Learning Hotline at 1-800-321-9511.

As if growing up with alcoholic parents wasn’t enough of a struggle, this student also struggled through school as a slow learner.  She continued to attend school even after losing both parents at age 15. Once she reached her 21st birthday without graduating, school was no longer an option.  She wanted to join the armed forces but could not meet their educational requirements. Her life went into a downward spiral of alcohol and drug abuse.  She worked in various restaurants but was unable to go beyond that because she lacked reading skills. A talented artist, she managed to supplement her income by painting murals and signs, but her personal relationships did not last and she moved frequently.  Sadly, at age 31, a gunshot wound to her head caused severe brain damage.

The student had to relearn how to read and write at a beginner’s level.  She abandoned drugs and alcohol and began working hard with a tutor in a quest to obtain her GED.  With the help of her tutor, she is now able to read with confidence and comprehends written math problems.  Before taking each section of the GED test, the student and her tutor work through lessons and practice tests.  With hard work,  she is well on her way to completing all five sections of the GED exam and the Constitution test.   In fact, she has become a tutor herself, and enjoys helping a fellow student.  When she completes the GED test, she wants  to become a minister and is looking forward to serving others.

Route 66, the legendary highway, ran through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The mission of the Route 66 ARC is to make research and oral history materials accessible to the general public and Route 66 researchers for the purpose of education, preservation and management of the historic Route 66 corridor.

The State Library’s resources include books, maps and periodicals about Route 66, along with links to significant Route 66 collections in the Illinois Digital Archives. They also maintain a file on Route 66 topics and the personal file of the Route 66 Association of Illinois founder, the late Tom Teague. Donated collections include Mt. Olive Service Station’s ledgers and a historic run of state Route 66 association newsletters collected by historian and author Keith Sculle.  Check out this great resource today!

An adult learner who began to attend classes at Black Hawk was extremely emotional. During a typical session with a tutor, the student might giggle like a silly teenager or begin to cry. Her mind darted from subject to subject as fast as her emotions changed, and she couldn’t  focus on a single task.

After working with a tutor, the woman became more focused and increased confidence allowed her to take pride in her successes. She began to learn more quickly and her reading skills improved dramatically. Eventually she even learned to control her emotions. This adult learner gained true self confidence and believes she on her way to a better life.

The new three-letter codes for system service centers (and the codes they replace) are:

New Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) Codes
XBR — RAILS, Burr Ridge (formerly MLS)
XCV — RAILS, Coal Valley (formerly PAC)
XEP — RAILS, East Peoria (formerly ALS)
XGV — RAILS, Geneva (formerly DLS)
XRF — RAILS, Rockford (formerly PAR)
XSW — RAILS, Shorewood (formerly PAS)
XWH — RAILS, Wheeling (formerly NSL)

New Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) Codes
ZCA — IHLS, Carterville (formerly SHL)
ZCH — IHLS, Champaign (formerly LTL)
ZDE — IHLS, Decatur (formerly RPL)
ZED — IHLS, Edwardsville (formerly LCL)

Please notify the appropriate staff at your location about these changes.

An Iraqi student lived in the United States for three years before beginning English as a Second Language classes at Asian Human Services. Prior to working with a tutor, she would guess at words she didn’t know because she lacked the skills to break down words into syllables in order to speak and comprehend.

A tutor was assigned to help her work on phonics, word recognition, speaking and writing simple sentences. The two women developed a friendship, and with the tutor’s help, the student gained confidence and improved her ability to form complete sentences. Hard work and dedication enabled her to succeed. She is now fluent enough that she shared her story about her move to the United States at the Chicago Northside Literacy Coalition’s “Night of a Thousand Stars” event last year.

The Illinois State Library Advisory Committee approved a recommendation for the certification process at its January 12, 2012 meeting. Both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and Illinois Heartland Library System have approved resolutions adding an annual completion of certification process to the requirements for system membership.

Other changes in the rulemaking include increasing the maximum amount of a Live and Learn Construction Program mini-grant from $25,000 to $35,000 (Section 3035.435 (c)) and incorporating the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service (23 Ill. Adm. Code 3025) as Subpart F of Part 3035. The full text of the rulemaking can be found on page 5770 of the April 13, 2012 issue of the Illinois Register.

The Illinois Digital Archives is a great resource for historic images, government docs, newspapers and much much more!

The new three-letter codes for system service centers (and the codes they replace) are:

New Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) Codes:
XBR — Burr Ridge (formerly MLS)
XCV — Coal Valley (formerly PAC)
XEP  — East Peoria (formerly ALS)
XGV — Geneva (formerly DLS)
XRF —  Rockford (formerly PAR)
XSW — Shorewood (formerly PAS)
XWH —Wheeling (formerly NSL)

New Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) Codes:
ZCA — Carterville (formerly SHL)
ZCH — Champaign (formerly LTL)
ZDE —  Decatur (formerly RPL)
ZED —  Edwardsville (formerly LCL)