The South Bay Literacy Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching adults over 18 to speak, read, and write English effectively in order to better function in today's complex society. The Council offers programs in Basic Literacy and in English as a Second Language (ESL).

RSVP member, Mac Ozelton, is a volunteer with the South Bay Literacy Council (SBLC). He is a tutor in the SBLC computer-learning center in Hillside Village on Hawthorne Blvd. The computer-training program helps both basic literacy and ESL students. With the aid of computer software Mac guides students through exercises designed to improve their writing, reading and listening skills. Mac is also editor of the SBLC newsletter. The newsletter includes Council news, details of events sponsored and/or attended by SBLC members and real-life stories of SBLC students who are making progress toward attaining their dreams through improving their English skills. The story below, typical of the successes attributable to the SBLC, was published in the SBLC September 2003 newsletter.

Jose Soto’s individual story is like millions of others. He came to America to find a better life for himself, his wife and future children. But the dream of a better life in this land of opportunity is written in English. And today the South Bay Literacy Council is helping people like Jose to read and write their dreams of a better life.

In 1996, Jose was all but 19 years old. Yet the young, wiry man had big dreams and decided to head north to live them. He took his wife, Juana Corona, by the hand and left Mexico and their quaint pueblo called Ayotlan, for the U.S. Ayotlan is located in the state of Jalisco, which is near Guadalajara and Puerta Vallarta. Ayotlan is a city of about 27,000 people.

When he and his bride arrived in the South Bay, he was warmly greeted by his family - and was soon greeted by the cold fact that most people in the South Bay did not speak Spanish. In Los Angeles today 25 percent to 40 percent of adults are classified as illiterate, which is the highest percentage of illiterate adults in the U.S. Most of these folks are immigrants like Jose. Illiteracy is a hard fact that limited Jose’s opportunities and dampened the reason why he left his beloved country. The only work he was able to get was low-paying jobs washing cars and busing tables at a restaurant. Surely America had more to offer.

Several years rolled by and Jose worked hard to make ends meet. His hope of making a good life did not die. One blessing that came along during this time was a daughter. When she was old enough, he put her in the Head Start program, which is located at the Hawthorne United Methodist Church. It was at the church where he saw a South Bay Literacy Council flyer inviting folks to learn to read and write English. Last October he jumped on this opportunity.

Student Jose works with his teacher Jeanne Miller, who teaches several students at the church. Jeanne said Jose is one of her favorite students. He’s very helpful and bright - and he works at it. Jose studies his assigned lessons about 2 hours a day. He always makes sure he is ready to work when class is in session. And he pitches in as an occasional Spanish interpreter for Jeanne when the need arises. Not one to keep a good thing, he shares his language knowledge at home with his wife and daughter, Jennifer. The hope and help he receives, he gives to others.

Jose is on his way to making his dream come true. He plans to go to college and study computers and mechanics. And with his gained knowledge he hopes to one day return to his pueblo in Mexico, where no doubt, he will be helping others to find their dreams.