Sue Long Shows the Way

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When Kathleen, an adult education student, stepped into the classroom in January of 1999, she was a person of low self-esteem. Her level of reading was very low, and she had difficulty sounding out the words on a page. The classroom setting could not offer her the attention she required, and after three months, she dropped out.

“I didn’t see Kathleen for about a year,” said Full-time Teacher, Beckie Hatcher. “Then one day she appeared in the classroom and said she wanted to start working on learning to read again.” In order to better help Kathleen work toward her goal, Hatcher chose to match her with a personal tutor.

At this time, the literacy program in Catoosa County had begun building up its tutor population. A woman named Sue Long volunteered to be a tutor, and Hatcher thought they might work well together.

Although she found that little had changed with Kathleen in her absence, Long was determined to help Kathleen overcome low-self esteem. She found relating vocabulary words to real life experiences proved to be beneficial. After spending time with Kathleen sounding out difficult words and phrases, her reading skills improved, and her hesitation diminished.

She also worked to help Kathleen overcome obstacles in math. With her tutor’s help, Kathleen has learned to work out fractions and complicated word problems. Kathleen has made progress to the point of working with pre-GED material. Working with Sue Long has helped Kathleen outside the classroom as well. For example, when she came to the program, she lived with a roommate to help keep down her expenses; today she lives on her own and is employed at a nursing home.

Kathleen feels good about herself and believes she can achieve almost anything. She readily gives credit to her tutor for showing her that success breeds success. It was that taste of success that has given her a new lease on life.

Hatcher believes it is because of volunteers like Sue Long that a real difference is being made in the lives of individuals in the community. “She’s a busy lady,” Hatcher said. In addition to her work at the center, Sue Long is studying Spanish at Dalton College. She also participates at her church, and is an avid bowler.

The Adult Education Program in Catoosa County is fortunate to have 26 tutors who appear to share Sue Long’s passion for literacy and give their time in order to make a change in the life of someone else.

“Lives have changed because of the commitment of our tutors,” Hatcher said. “I am just so grateful for their willingness to volunteer.”

Beckie Hatcher
Full-time Teacher
Catoosa County Adult Learning Center
Northwestern Technical College
Rock Spring, Georgia
Service Delivery Area 1