From the Director

Hello -- my name is Jason Hecker, and I serve as the Executive Director of Literacy Center West. Readers of this blog know that typically we like to share stories by and about the students of LCW. It's been a great way to invite our supporters inside the walls of LCW, to see first-hand how services like our Next Level Job Readiness Program and Night GED School make a difference in our community.

Today I wanted to use the blog as a platform to share with you the article I wrote for our most recent newsletter. It highlights some of the challenges we've faced as an organization this past year.

If you enjoy reading our blog and would like to receive our bi-annual newsletter, just drop me a line at jason@litcenterwest.org and specify if you would prefer the electronic or printed version. And if you are able to provide financial support to LCW, please visit www.litcenterwest.org and navigate to the "Donate" page.

Thanks and God Bless -- Jason

This past year has been a challenge for Literacy Center West; certainly my toughest year since becoming the director back in 2001. The current economy is having an adverse effect on our daily operations — as well as on those of our many partner businesses and agencies.

Just this past month, our two contracts with the Hamilton County Adult Probation department were terminated due to funding issues.

Earlier this year, funding agreements we had with two other agencies were reduced in scope for the same reason. In addition, both of our annual special events — while still financially successful — raised less for LCW than the previous year’s efforts.

Yet the need for remedial education is still pressing in our community, perhaps now more than ever. The gap between an individual’s education level and earning potential has never been wider. Companies are downsizing, which forces qualified workers to accept lower-paying jobs, while new applicants are being shoved down the income ladder. The least skilled have been expelled from the job market altogether.

As a result, 2009 was our busiest year in terms of the number of students served. More than 400 students came through the doors of at least one of our three locations (Price Hill, Camp Washington and downtown at the Adult Probation building). All were looking to either earn their high school equivalency diploma or find a job — or, in many cases, both.

They needed help….but more importantly, they needed hope. They needed to believe that if they worked hard, things would get better. Hope was their motivation for returning to school by enrolling into LCW.

It is our purpose, then, to cultivate our students’ hopes, and I take that responsibility seriously. At times it can feel like a heavy weight on my shoulders.

But lately, I find myself drawing inspiration from the beautiful Sequoia trees of Northern California.

These trees are the largest living things on our planet. Some are more than 100 yards tall and weigh upwards of 2,000 tons. They are truly incredible. Their trunks are so wide — if you hollowed one out, you could probably drive your car right through!

Yet what’s most amazing about the Sequoia trees is not necessarily their size, or their beauty, but rather their means of continued existence.

You see, these trees grow in clusters called groves, and these groves are necessary for each individual tree’s survival.

Naturally a tree this large will have tremendous roots. In the case of the Sequoia, these roots can grow up to 300 yards long. Yet the Sequoia has learned to shoot its roots outward — perpendicular to the trunk and parallel to its branches — as opposed to downward.

These roots will then intertwine with the roots of the other Sequoias in the grove. In effect, they grab on to each other — along with the roots of the weaker trees and the burgeoning saplings — and hold each other up. This process allows all the trees in the grove to grow tall, strong and true.

*****

I wonder...can we do that? As a community, can we reach out, grab hold of each other, and maybe prop up for a time those who most need the help?

I hope so, because this holiday season, Literacy Center West is going to need our friends — and our students are going to need your strong roots to hold them in place as they learn, grow and work toward becoming self-sufficient.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season.

All my best —

Jason Hecker

It's the Little Things

This is Justin, a student in our Next Level program. Today Justin had an interview at Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches.

One thing we try to teach our students is how to interview appropriately.

But we don't stop there. We test them on their skills by running mock interviews. Then we make sure they have the proper clothing.

For women, that means signing them up for an appointment at Dress for Success, where volunteers fit them with lovely outfits (including full suits, shoes, handbag, and jewelry!) assembled from gently-used donations.

But there's no local agency like Dress for Success for men's interviewing clothing needs. So we created a closet here and filled it with button-down shirts and dress pants donated by the male friends of Literacy Center West.

But sometimes it takes more than clothes to get ready. So after we helped Justin find the right outfit, we let him borrow a shave kit we keep in-house.

Then we drove him to get a haircut before the interview that we'd arranged for him.

Within an hour, Justin looked like a new man. By next week he'll hear if he got a new job. In the meantime, Justin now has the skills, the clothes and the look to successfully continue putting in applications this weekend.

It really is these little efforts that make the big difference when we're helping disadvantaged young people learn how to enter and advance in the workforce.

Postscript: We're always grateful for your dropped-off donations of men's button-down shirts, dress pants, and dress shoes!

Hard-working students set an example for the next generation

Anthony Skidmore must feel like he hit the jackpot. After months of studying for the GED test, scouring job postings, submitting applications, and dressing for interviews, last week Anthony passed his GED test AND landed a job making $23.50 an hour.

The quiet 21-year-old was all smiles when he came in with his 2-year-old son, Anthony, Jr., or “A.J.,” to see his GED test scores.


Anthony showed his son the GED classroom where “Daddy studied.” He also pointed to his sister’s name on Literacy Center West’s plaque of GED graduates. Anthony’s name will now be posted among those graduates, too. The other GED classroom students will miss him, though – while he studied, Anthony generously took time out to help explain math problems to other students who were struggling.

“It was overall good experience for me,” Anthony said of coming to Literacy Center West. “I had help when I needed it and the teachers here were nice.”

Anthony had left the traditional school system because he was withdrawn to be homeschooled. Unfortunately, like for too many youth, homeschooling didn’t work out for Anthony when he was kicked out of his house.

Now Anthony can finally pursue his goal of going to college, where he’d like to study computer science. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Laura plans to start studying for her GED at Literacy Center West, too.

Lucky A.J. is growing up in a loving, hardworking household that appreciates the value of an education.

A Budding Artist

Dafonta comes to us from Winton Terrace and is currently enrolled in The Next Level program. The 17-year-old loves to draw. He especially enjoys drawing anime style warriors.

"I draw because of my imagination and passion for it. It’s fun to draw and when I finish and look at the picture, I think 'wow I did it and I practiced for a long time and it paid off.'”

"I want my GED because I really need it to get the jobs I want and to succeed in life. It will help me get a better future for myself and my family."

Busy Busy Busy

This week has been a busy one for the staff and students at LCW. I don't know if it's the back-to-school buzz or just something in the air, but students have been pouring in and we have more coming every day.

The capacity crowd took some careful management, but a little rearrangement and some careful space usage got everyone in and working hard. Some of our more industrious students even took advantage of the nice weather and studied outside in the park.

The classroom filled up quickly.

Trying to make a little more room.

Squeezing in, always room for one more.

Anthony working on his math skills for the GED next month.

Kenyon gives instruction in the shade.

Kandice getting it done in the sunshine.

I'm From

I’m from somewhere nobody ever been
I’m from a dead-end don’t know where to begin
I got lost in the streets by a dear friend
Who took my life from me and me want it to
End

He said he love me said he care too
All of it was a dream that wouldn’t come true.
I started smoking drugs and dropped out of school.
Then he left me in the dark, I didn’t get far

I’m
Back
In the dead-end where nobody ever been.
I’m from the streets where we sell drugs
And shot dice for life

Life is hard; Life is tough smoking that weed
Ducking the cops
Being free is the best way to be
Cause when the cops get you
Fifteen to life is not where I want to be

Now I’m back on the streets smoking weed
Ducking cops again
Back to beginning somewhere
Nobody ever been

I’m from Literacy Center West, I got my GED
And a job again.
Life was hard; Life was tough
They taught me also, they taught me to talk
They handed me an open hand
This is where I’m from this is not the
End.

I’m from somewhere nobody ever been
I’m from a dead end
Literacy Center West taught me where to begin,
They taught me a lot, they taught me to
Trust.

I’m from a school with a lot of heart,
They taught me a good start.

by Khadijah

Sharoca

Sharoca comes to us from Oakley. She is currently working on her GED and interviewing for jobs. Here she discusses how getting a GED will help her achieve her goal of becoming a police officer.

The New Guy

My name is Justin Combs. I am the Communications Director for Literacy Center West.

Right now, I’m the new guy.

Starting at a new place is never easy. Starting at a place that specializes in getting jobs for people can be particularly intimidating. Even though I’m beginning another leg of a professional career, I’m finding that most of what we teach our students about keeping their first job still applies.

You have to be on time, keep a good attitude, be honest, make sure you communicate with your boss, and be willing to learn.

I've defintiely been learning a lot. Coming to the center has shown me how hard it can be to do a lot of the things most of us take for granted, like finishing high school or getting a job. I've learned how almost anything can get in the way of someone living up to their potential. That sometimes people just need a little help to get moving in the right direction. But mainly I’m learning the importance of never giving up.

The energy in this place is incredible. Our students are here to get something done. They have made a choice to remove some of the barriers in their lives and they do it with a verve that you can feel in the air.

With this blog, I want to capture some of that energy. Hopefully we’ll be able to show you what it’s like here for our students, the triumphs, failures, hopes, realities and just the day-to-day stuff it takes to get it done.