When Desire Barb first enrolled at Seeds of Literacy, in Cleveland, Ohio, she was reading just below an eighth-grade level. She was uncertain about working with the tutors and unaccustomed to the encouragement she received from staff. With the birth of each of her five children, she would take time off from her studies and lose some of the academic progress she had made. It took a pandemic to harden her resolve. 

John H. Taylor’s story is evidence that it’s never too late to take the steps to improve your life. For him, that meant learning to read.  

Today, on Veterans Day, we honor all those who have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military. Thank you for your sacrifice and service. It is also the perfect day to share the success of Gerno Allen—better known these days as Pvt. Allen. 

This June, Denise O’Neal will watch her son graduate from high school and head off to college. In a way, when she watches Brenden mark this milestone it will bring her journey full circle. 

In Venezuela, Sheilla Guevara worked for years as a chemistry teacher. Someday she’d like to teach again. To do that, she knows she needs to learn English.