After having taken care of my elderly parents who have since passed on and my energetic high schoolers, who have left for college, I had an urge to get out of my comfortable milieu of family and friends, dance recitals and Karate tournaments, soccer games and PTA
meetings and enrich my life with something more.
As fate and destiny would have it, I spotted an advertisement in the local newspaper – ‘ tutors needed, will train’. My curiosity took me to 250 Fulton Ave, Hempstead, in the year 2003 and I am still here.

Roseanne Minikel, a dynamic and resourceful teacher, trained me to be a tutor. She has moved, since, to Las Vegas. I model my own tutor training workshop after hers. With my favorite co – trainer Mary Koenig’s special touch and her vast reservoir of experience and knowledge, our tutor training workshops have been very successful. Thanks Mary, you’re the better half! The compliments come to me the complaints go to you.

Ruth Colvin had a dream, that every adult should be able to read and write, and that dream is alive and well around the country but more so here at the Nassau Chapter. All due thanks go to a dedicated and hard working team.

With Tina Sanacore at the helm, Literacy Nassau has moved to greater heights, all in the duration of one year. She was my colleague and now is my Director. It was fun to work with her and is just as much fun to work for her.

Bubbly Brenda, with her youthful exuberance, scouted me out at one of the in- service training sessions to be a Tutor Trainer and the Coordinator for Basic Literacy Testing. I have enjoyed every assignment she has given me. Thank you Brenda for being my mentor, guide and friend.

Caring, creative Karen is very unassuming but believe me, she gets the bucks rolling in, the much needed funds to sustain the
organization. She always welcomes me with a soft cadent ‘hello’.

Tim Turner, gregarious and ever the gentleman, is ready to help at any time, no matter what. And not to forget Susan, Mary Rose and Leslie who are always so gracious. It is wonderful to work with all of you. You chase away the Monday morning blues and get me on a high that lasts all week.

My students Andrea, Li Li and Ana - wish you were here tonight. Your smiles and your ever grateful hearts kept me on my toes, looking for new materials to enliven and energize our classes, in your relentless pursuit to master the English language.

In accepting this award today, it may mean one of two things –
that I have worked hard for it, or that I need to get cracking. Either way I know I’ve earned your trust, and I have to live up to it and I shall and will.

To all at Literacy Nassau, our students and well wishers - Thank you.