Student Spotlight: Charlene Renaud

February 15, 2018

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In the fall of 2016 former Literacy Council student Angel Cleckner was talking with Charlene Renaud, one of her hair styling clients, who confessed that she was unable to read. At Angel’s urging, Charlene contacted the Council for help and was assessed and matched with tutor Bonnie Wright.

Charlene began working with Laubach Way to Reading (LWR) Book 1, Sounds and Names of Letters. Over the past 15 months, she has made steady progress and is now working on LWR Book 4. She works hard, faithfully completes her homework, and is eager to learn. Each week she tells Bonnie and her friends that she can’t wait for her next lesson!

Charlene isn’t the typical student. She doesn’t have a career goal. and isn’t measuring what she learns by how well she does on tests. Her goal is more personal, one of self-satisfaction. In applying for the program, her stated goal was to be able to read her Bible.

“I can read now. I can sound out the words if I don’t know them. I have made quite a bit of progress! It is getting harder but it is supposed to be. It has helped me a lot in my Bible study class because now I can read my Bible.” says Charlene. Other firsts: being able to read restaurant menus; having the confidence to do her own grocery shopping; and being able to read food labels, prescription instructions, road signs, and tenant notices in her building.

Angel Cleckner, who was responsible for introducing Charlene to the Literacy Council, said “I can see how Charlene has grown and how hard she has worked. I was in the program in 2006 and my life has blossomed because of it, just as it has for Charlene. Thanks so much to the tutors who take their time to help us out.”

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