I show them a way to do things that I learned how to do... I sit down and I make up pictures and I make up flash cards so that they’re thinking they’re playing a game but they’re not. I find that they learn better that way.

Benny’s Story

When Benny was 15, his father left home and Benny became the man of the house, He supported his mother and three younger siblings by working as a laborer and a bodyguard. Then, for 15 years he earned a good living as a professional wrestler until broken bones and a broken marriage ended his career. In 1987, when he moved from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania, the only job he could get was doing heavy farm labor. At his brother-in-law’s suggestion, he enrolled in an adult center where his ambition and eagerness sparked the entire class.

In July 1996, Benny was hired by the adult center as a part time outreach specialist to visit families in the neighborhood and promote the importance of learning English. A full time employee of Wal-Mart since October 1997, he continues his outreach and community services on a volunteer basis. Now that he has passed the GED, his next step is to study to become a mechanic and earn his state automobile inspection license. He believes it will happen and teaches his children and other adults “how important it is to keep in school and make a future,” saying, “Everything I do, you can do too. I’m here to help you.”

Anna’s Story

Anna was in the 11th grade when she dropped out to marry her childhood sweetheart. Over the next 20 years, he supported the family while she raised their children and worked at times as a seamstress. In 1992, when her husband died of a heart attack, Anna was left at the age of 37 to support four school-aged children on a five-dollar-an hour seamstress job. Overcome by stress, she sought therapy and her counselor suggested she return to school. In January of 1993, she called an adult learning center and talked her way into an already filled class. By June, she completed her GED, won a $500 scholarship, and enrolled in a community college. Majoring in gerontology, she worked with adult daycare, Alzheimer’s patients, and a diverse AIDS and paraplegic population.

Anna graduated in May 1995, with a 3.7 GPA, an associate degree, and a listing in Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges. Two years later, she completed a bachelor’s degree at Temple University. After completing her master’s degree in Social Work, she was hired as the full time Director of Student Support Services at the adult learning center where she first enrolled to get her GED. Now 45 years of age, she looks back on eight years of educational struggle and accomplishment, and says: “Eight years of going from a GED student, to Associate’s student, to Bachelor’s Degree, and then to a Master’s Degree. It is very fast. It’s continual. You’re still learning.”

John’s Story

John was about to start 8th grade at the time of his accident, a spinal cord injury which resulted in his total and permanent disability. In June 1994, at the age of 18, he joined a residential wheelchair community and enrolled in their education program. One of eight children, he had few relatives in the area and immersed himself in his studies to combat his loneliness. In just four months, he achieved his goal of computer literacy and was able to write long, descriptive letters to his family and friends.