Dr. Jean DeVard-Kemp
Assistant Commissioner
Office of Adult Literacy

IN THIS ISSUE

Emilia Cabanillas was born in Ancash, Peru, and came to the United States at the age of 17. She encountered her first difficulty adjusting to life in the U.S. when she went to live with her aunt and uncle in Hartford, Connecticut. She could not speak English.

She was determined to improve her situation by attending night school and earning an elementary school level diploma. She then obtained a job at the Royal Typewriter Company while taking high school level courses. With constraints on her time, Emilia attended a less demanding cosmetology school program and two years later, graduated as a cosmetologist.

In 1982, Emilia married and moved to New York where she and her husband started a family. The children became her primary responsibility, and it was not until her youngest daughter was 11 that Emilia returned to work at the Department of Social Services. Watching her daughters graduate from college encouraged her to return to school to earn a GED. Following a career change and a move to Georgia, she enrolled in Lee County's Adult Literacy classes.

The students in her class find Emilia to be a warm and generous woman who gives to her church, family, friends, and community. She conveys a deep respect for education and inspires others to do the same. Those who know her best describe her as being a thoughtful person with a kind word for everyone she meets.

Despite encountering numerous obstacles, she is determined to pass the GED test. Every task is viewed as a challenge to be met with grace, dignity and perseverance. Through hard work and dedication, Emilia has enriched her own life as well as the lives of her friends and family. She never lost sight of making her "dreams come true." She is goal oriented and continues to attend adult education classes.

Her teacher, Mr. Henri Drew, believes that she has a high likelihood of attaining a GED. She demonstrates excellent study habits and her progress has been impressive. Drew said, "During the time that I have worked with Emilia, I have had the opportunity to learn many things from her. It has been a rare pleasure getting to know her."

Henri R. Drew
Full-Time Literacy Teacher
Lee County Adult Education Center
Albany Technical Institute
Albany, Georgia
SDA# 16