Success Stories

Silmara and her teenage son moved to the US from Brazil in December 2020. She had met the American man who would become her husband, and they had discussions about whether they would live in Brazil or the US after they married. They decided the US would be the best option, so they came here. The family has lived in Ontario County ever since.

When she came to the US, Silmara had some basic English but was not fluent. She started taking an ESL class and then reached out to LVOY in early 2024 for help preparing for the citizenship test.

The application and preparation process can be quite lengthy. The application itself is very in depth and, after it is submitted, the applicant must wait to receive their test/interview appointment. Silmara waited seven months to receive hers.

While she waited, she worked with her tutor to get ready for the test. Silmara had to study 100 questions on various topics including American history, government, and integrated civics. (The test has recently changed and now applicants must study 128 questions.) She also worked hard on her English speaking and pronunciation, as well as her writing. All are part of the test process, and she wanted to be prepared.

Silmara’s tutor, Jane, has enjoyed working with her. “She has such enthusiasm and interest for improving,” Jane says. “She has a goal to make progress with her English and is committed to it. She’s just so pleasant to work with!”

Silmara passed the test and was sworn in during her citizenship ceremony this past October. It was a very exciting day and she’s looking forward to what being a naturalized citizen will offer her. “I’m looking forward to voting and getting a better job. I also look forward to the freedom to travel without worrying about the limitations that come with leaving the country when you just have a green card.”

It took Silmara about 18 months to prepare for and take the exam. She encourages people interested in becoming a citizen to start the process early. “It’s hard and the test has recently changed. You need to know the answers to 128 questions.” However, she says all the hard work is worth it!

Tim, a learner at LVOY since 2022, had a difficult start to his education. He suffered a severe accident when he was just starting school and, as a result, he missed quite a bit of his early education. When he finally made it back to the classroom, he lacked key foundational skills needed for reading and comprehension. The situation was compounded as his family moved a lot, which meant several new schools over the years. It’s been a challenge to catch up ever since.

He was in special education classes and his grandfather had him listen to cassette tapes geared toward learning letter names and sounds, but he still struggled with reading.

Tim’s had a job at the local Veteran’s Administration hospital for 14 years but wants to advance in his career. He knew he would have to master reading basics to do that, and his job coach from ARC referred him to LVOY.

When he started with LVOY, Tim knew some of his letter names and sounds. He and his tutor focused on basics – learning all the letters as well as some sight words. Tim took on the challenge enthusiastically.

“I was a little nervous at the start, but I was excited to read and write and just do my best.”

Tim is a committed student, dedicating time to practice between tutoring sessions. He uses learning apps and games to reinforce his lessons. He even celebrates advancing levels on the apps by sharing those accomplishments with friends and family.

Tim has made great progress since beginning his tutoring. Today he knows all his letters, many sight words, and he enjoys early reader stories.

Barb, his tutor, is very proud of him. “Tim is such a hard worker and so eager to learn new things,” she says. “It’s rewarding for me because he so clearly wants to learn.”

Tim encourages others who want to improve their literacy to seek out services like those offered by LVOY. “It will be good for them," he says. "They can learn more things and make progress.”

Frances, of Canandaigua, got married and had children very young, never completing high school. Although she tried pursuing her diploma at different times, it never worked out for her. In the spring of 2018, with the right support and encouragement from her family, Frances started working with LVOY. She says her tutor was always patient with her, explaining things in different ways until she understood them. After a lot of hard work, Frances finally received her high school equivalency diploma in the fall of 2020.

Frances says that the most rewarding part of the entire process was “showing my children that I could do it. They have a hard time in school, too, and I can use my life experience to show them they can do it.” She also acknowledges the significance of her achievement, saying “I’ve never been so proud of myself in my entire life!” While she’s happy in her current job, Frances knows other opportunities are available to her now and may consider studying business in the future.

Mayra and her husband moved from Puerto Rico to Geneva for better opportunities. While Mayra had almost completed training as a nurse in Puerto Rico, once in New York her limited English restricted her to entry level jobs. Working nights meant she had very little time with her young children. Then she attended a parent teacher conference at her daughter’s school where there was an interpreter assisting. The interpreter asked Mayra if she wanted to improve her English and she jumped at the chance! That’s how she learned about LVOY.

Mayra started working with her tutor, Anita, and found the one-to-one tutoring to be a key to her success. “She’s so flexible, so nice, and has patience with me. I love when I feel the other person wants to help you learn,” Mayra says. Today, Mayra’s English has improved dramatically, and twice she has successfully applied for better employment. She now works as a teacher’s assistant in a bilingual classroom and is loving it! Not only does her schedule give her quality time with family, but she has set her sights on becoming a teacher. Mayra credits her work with LVOY for improving her English and helping her find better jobs.

Joey wanted to learn to read, and his progress in just a few short months was amazing! Joey faced his share of learning challenges. Always a special education student, he didn’t speak in full sentences until middle school. Joey lives with his grandmother, Diane, who would work with him nightly, teaching him sight words. She contacted LVOY to find more help for him. He was matched with a tutor, Deana, a former elementary school and reading teacher. Joey was just the type of student she was hoping to teach.

“Joey only knew a few consonants and no vowels when we started. Now, he knows the entire alphabet, letter names and sounds, as well as several blended sounds. He can also use phonics to sound out words.” Joey is now reading at a second-grade level. An enthusiastic reader, his current favorites are Dr. Seuss books. “He’s excelled so fast! I’m really excited for him and to see what he can accomplish,” says Deana.

Allie is an LVOY learner who earned her high school equivalency diploma. Due to years of discouragement and lack of success in school, it took a lot of courage for her to contact LVOY. Allie has dyslexia and when she was younger, staff at her school thought she was a troubled kid. “I wasn’t troubled; I was frustrated. I just needed someone to give me a helping hand.”

Allie was paired with her tutor, Carmela, and liked the structure Carmela offered. Carmela helped Allie discover how she learns and now she finds learning exciting. “Every time I learn something new, it’s like Christmas morning!” she says. Next up for Allie is her dream of attending college. Allie says one of the greatest strengths of LVOY is that it’s a safe place where adults can find support to overcome learning challenges and reach their goals. “If you can’t read, how do you fit in society? If you can’t do math, how do you get change and know you’re not being taken advantage of?” she asks. “For those adults, I would say that LVOY is meant for you. You won’t be left behind anymore. You can go out, achieve your goals, and show people who you really are!”