Success Stories

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!”