Power In Words

Last week I went to a special event hosted by LV of Union county. This is the LVNJ affiliate program whose tutor training I am going through. All of the trainees in my class were invited by our trainer who organized the event. It was a celebration for tutors and students, and a launching of the second annual student writing and art magazine called "Connections."

I had to work that day and I went right to the event from work. I was tired and a little unsure of whether I should even go. But I had said I would go and I wanted to keep my word, plus I was really curious to hear the students stories and to see the artwork done by one of their students.

When I got there I was really happy to see they were serving coffee : ). Also I saw some of my fellow tutor training classmates. I always feel more comfortable in unfamiliar places if I know at least one person. We all sat together in the audience and talked about our days and how we thought training was going, it was a good bonding experience.

Then the program started. There were the usual thanks and congratulations to the people who had made the program possible. But then the students started their readings. The first student was actually a student of our trainer S and she got up and introduced him. He was an older gentleman, a basic literacy student and he had written a short letter about what it meant to him to know how to read. He was understandably nervous, and stumbled some, but it didn't matter, the entire audience was captivated and you could almost feel the power of their support holding him up wanting him to achieve this goal. I was in awe.

Each student that came up was introduced by their tutor before they spoke. I loved this part just as much as the students' readings because you could see the pride in their faces. A few of the stories made me cry, like the woman who wrote about overcoming a fear so she could work and provide for her family. There was one story written by an older ESOL gentleman whose command of the language was very impressive. He wrote about his experience coming to America and finding the LV program to help him learn to read and write English. He ended his essay with a statement about how important it is for everyone who comes to America to learn to appreciate and understand the American culture. I was so proud to be an American at that moment and the camaraderie among the English speakers, new and experienced, was so poignant.

Public speaking is a very difficult thing for most people. I know even myself after having taken classes on how to be better at public speaking and knowing how to read and write very fluently, still get so nervous when standing before a large crowd of people whose eyes and ears are all tuned to me. For an adult, who has not fully mastered the ability to read and write English, to have the courage and determination to get up and read something they wrote, and to do so clearly and with certainty is a most commendable feat.

I was so encouraged after attending this program. When I am touched personally by something it never leaves me, and I know I will never forget this first lesson in the power of volunteer tutoring.