Student Spotlights

More than a decade ago, Carolina came to the U.S. from Chile with her two young daughters. She struggled to communicate, especially at work and with her children’s teachers, but she found ESL classes unaffordable. She was thrilled to learn that LVSC offered free English tutoring. When she first met her tutor Donna, Carolina’s goal was to learn more vocabulary and overcome a fear of speaking in public. Donna focused lessons on “filling in the blanks” and role play. Carolina’s confidence grew quickly. With hard work and dedication, she moved up from a job at Macy’s to working in compliance at an investment firm. Carolina also overcame her fear of speaking and even addressed crowds at events hosted by LVSC and Literacy New Jersey.

Carolina and Donna at a tutoring session.

In addition to tutoring, Carolina was an active participant in an LVSC conversation group. It was there that she met Monica, a nutritionist from Peru. When Monica came to the U.S. she struggled to express her ideas in English. She was scared to answer the phone at work. Her young children had to interpret for her at the doctor’s office and at school. She felt isolated.

Conversation group at the Somerville library.

As Carolina was graduating from LVSC’s program she encouraged Monica to apply for a tutor. Carolina suggested, “Ask for Donna. She’s amazing.” The rest is history. Once Monica was matched with Donna, life began to change. Donna helped Monica understand numbers and grammar, which were crucial for her job in shipping/receiving. Monica began to enjoy creative writing in English, which boosted her confidence. Today, Monica is a logistics specialist at Johnson & Johnson working with life-saving cancer treatments. Monica’s children, who once translated for her, are both college graduates with careers in finance and mechanical engineering.

Monica and Donna during a pandemic tutoring session.

A tutor for nearly two decades, Donna’s life has also been transformed by her weekly tutoring sessions. She appreciates the reward of watching her many students improve, accomplish goals, and become part of the community. And, she has made new friends along the way. Over the years, Donna, Carolina and Monica became more than tutor and students – the trio developed a warm friendship that today includes birthday dinners, beach trips, and holiday outings with their families. 

One of many dinner celebrations.