Images of low-literacy in popular culture are nearly all negative. During the recent snowstorm I watched reruns of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. The episode "Stray" featured a young man who was dyslexic and unable to read chiefly due to his lack of appropriate education when he was in the public school system. Unfortunately, due to his inability to navigate in a world many of us take for granted, he turned to criminal activities. This fictional character is an amalgam of the more than thirty million low-literate adults in the United States. In Dallas County alone there are more than 300,000 low-literate adults. At Aspire we hear their stories every day. They were not diagnosed with learning differences when in the K-12 school system and therefore did not receive the targeted education they needed. They had teachers, counselors, and family members call them "dumb," "stupid," or "unmotivated." Tens of thousands were socially promoted—moving grade level by grade level—through the school system until they received their high school diplomas unable to read beyond a grade school level, if at all. They are our neighbors. Yet they are able to survive in the literate world because they are smart and resourceful. In the CI episode, Detective Robert Goren notes that the young man actually has a rare trait that he shares with scientists, and, if he had been diagnosed and treated in school his life likely would have had a very different and more positive trajectory. These are many of the people we serve at Aspire. Our incredible volunteer teachers and professional team teach, support, and encourage our students. We respect how hard they work and honor their accomplishments at every step. Learning turns their many obstacles into opportunities for growth: for them, for their families, and for our community. - Linda K. Johnson, Ph. D Aspire President and CEO

Workforce Training With generous funding from United Way Greater Dallas and other donors, Aspire launched a free workforce training program in 2019 with ReadyToWork (RTW). Focused on jobs that offer a living wage and that are also considered essential occupations, the program allows adults to be hired as forklift operators after completing Professional Industrial Truck (PIT) and OSHA certifications over the course of four days. The first day is a career readiness day where Aspire provides resources on how to be successful in the workplace by teaching professional skills, professional behavior, setting goals, and financial literacy—to be financially stable in a new career opportunity. The second day is where the OSHA workplace safety components are covered. Participants learn about general safety in the workplace, such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), how to identify hazards in the workplace, and what to do if there is a hazard. On day three RTW teaches students about the pertinent industrial equipment. The participants are not yet operating a forklift, but rather learning the science behind it, understanding how a forklift operates, what the basic controls are, and how to inspect and identify all the different parts and safety features of the equipment. On the last day participants operate the equipment, learning how to operate a forklift and two other pieces of equipment. At the end of the entire training, when the participants have passed all the required tests, they will earn both PIT and OSHA workplace safety certifications—both industry accepted certifications. After the program is over RTW places graduates on its applicant tracking system and works to help them get jobs with one of their clients or partners. To date there have been 89 program participants for the monthly programs.

Volunteer Spotlight This month we shine the spotlight on a volunteer who after more than forty years has the same, if not more, love for teaching than when she first began. Carolyn Bentley began volunteering after retiring from teaching for twenty years at the Shelton School. She wanted to continue to help people eager to learn to read. With a background in education and a granddaughter who obtained her GED, Carolyn witnessed firsthand the value of education, stating "education is critical in life and it gives fullness to life if you understand how to read." It's easy to take reading and writing for granted. Whether reading a street sign or writing down directions for a friend, few of us consider what it takes to read and write with ease. But for our students experiencing low-literacy, ordinary tasks like these are exhausting. Carolyn has found herself relating to her students, stating "Because I am older, you learn not quite as fast as you used to, so this learning to use the technology that we're doing and being proficient with it is a real challenge. So, I understand how reading when you're older is a real challenge and you have to overcome all your fears, you have to be willing to put yourself out there to be able to learn." Carolyn has not only taught Aspire students how to read, but has created the space and relationships to learn about her students, their challenges, and their strengths, increasing their likelihood of success. We are grateful for and applaud Carolyn's many years of dedication.

Dr. Linda K. Johnson Aspire President and CEO “A lifetime of learning helps us give the best of ourselves to our communities.”

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