Friends of Literacy » Our Students

2010 Hall of Fame Student Essay Winner

Friends of Literacy — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:30:12 +0000

Congratulations to Anthony Jay Spoon, the 2010 East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame student essay winner!

Tony has been attending classes for a year and 9 months now. He was born and raised in West Knoxville and still resides there today. He enjoys coming to class, and his favorite subject is math. Although he dislikes probability, he sticks with it nevertheless. He decided he wanted to get his GED when he saw a 48 Hours episode about homicide detectives. He was so intrigued by the episode that he decided this was a path he wanted to take. His first thought was: “A person only lives once, so I gotta try this!!” Now, his goal is to obtain his GED and then begin a career in the police department, and we wish him luck!

Tickets to the 2010 Hall of Fame are available for purchase online or by phone at (865) 594-1507. Your attendance helps support students like Tony achieve their educational and personal goals!

Rhonda’s Story

Friends of Literacy — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:34:06 +0000

Rhonda knew that if she didn’t find a way out of jail, she would find herself back there again.

“I didn’t want to be one of those people who couldn’t seem to stay out,” she said.

In 2008, Rhonda became the first female graduate of the Knox County Sheriff’s Detention Facility’s GED Program, supported by Friends of Literacy. With her diploma, Rhonda got a job at a local restaurant and quickly earned a promotion to area manager.

As Rhonda says, the GED “gives people a lot of hope and gives you a chance to get re-established on your own feet.”

Rhonda is currently working with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to create a program to help former inmates transition successfully into society.

You can make a difference for a student like Rhonda. Did you know that:

A $55 donation covers the GED testing fee for a deserving student
A $125 donation covers class at the detention center for one student

Donate today!

Bobbie’s Story

Friends of Literacy — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:13:33 +0000

“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want my GED. I feel that getting this diploma is my greatest responsibility and will put me and my family on a path towards a better life. It is my sincere hope that getting my GED will help me find a good paying job so that I may move out of the projects, buy a car, and inspire my family. I want to show my grandchildren by example that the way to achieve their freedom is through education. The road to my success only begins with my GED.”

You can make a difference for a student like Bobbie. Did you know that:

A $10 donation buys school supplies for one student
A $35 donation buys a pre-GED book and dictionary for one student
A $75 donation trains a volunteer tutor to work one-on-one with a student like Bobbie

Donate today and help someone achieve their dream of getting a GED!

Lee’s Story

Friends of Literacy — Thu, 20 May 2010 02:50:38 +0000

Upon discovering that he did not have the skills necessary for his job, Lee’s supervisor encouraged him to come to Friends of Literacy. Reading maps, manuals, and other instructional documents was something he could not do on his own.

“I would have to ask somebody, and that was very hard to let somebody know that you couldn’t read at the age of 30,” Lee says. But with his courage, and the support of his supervisor, family, and Friends of Literacy, Lee achieved his goal.

“I really didn’t think I could learn to read and write, but after a couple of months seeing I could, I just stayed with it. Friends of Literacy has made a great difference in my life, plus my family’s life.”

You can make a difference for a student like Lee. Did you know that:

A $50 donation purchases workbooks for one non-reader
A $100 donation provides a month of instruction for one non-reader
A $200 donation purchases a set of classic novels for the non-reader classroom

Donate today and help someone learn to read!