Tutor Leslie Clark and Carlos
Carlos came to the United States from El Salvador in 1990, at the age of 17. He first worked in agriculture, went on to operate heavy equipment, and has been self-employed as a landscaper for the last 10 years.
Although Carlos received no formal schooling, he managed to learn how to read and write Spanish on his own, and just five years after he arrived in this country he decided to become fluent in English–using books to sharpen his conversational skills.
“That drive and determination has been on display ever since we started our work together,” reports tutor Leslie Clark. “Carlos has already completed Laubach 1, is reading with more fluency and comprehension, and is making great progress with his writing. His patience and great sense of humor makes him a joy to work with.”
Carlos himself credits his family with much of his academic success so far. His wife Ana offers lots of encouragement; daughter Kayla, a diligent South River High student, helps him tackle his English homework; and three-year-old Anthony provides perhaps the best motivation of all: He loves having his father read to him.