ACE News
PALs Graduation
June 24, 2011
PALs (Parent Advocates for Literacy) is an ACE program that recruits parents to serve as AmeriCorps tutors. PALs gain valuable tutoring experience while earning an education award, which also benefits their own families. ACE celebrated each PALs tutor at an end-of-the-year graduation ceremony on May 16, 2011 at the Lucy ReadPre-K Demonstration School.
Around 7pm on graduation day, individuals young and old were dressed to impress and happily finding seats in the cafeteria. The presentation was auditorium style, with decorative banners adorning the back of the stage. Hand-drawn cards with words of encouragement, congratulations, and the ACE logo of a soaring book were presented. There were a number of notable guest speakers from both ACE and Lucy Read, including Dr. Mary Ellen Isaacs, Dr. Sheryl Prater, and Lucy Read Principal Janice Darrington-Weston. All speakers shared words of wisdom and memorable moments before announcing the 20 guests of honor.
One of the most touching speakers of the evening was Mrs. Leticia Toribio, an ACE PALs tutor. Leticia shared the moving story of her journey from Mexico, where she grew up and where her access to higher education was restricted. After immigrating to the United States, Leticia began raising a family and eventually became a PAL. The combination of ACE and her dreams enabled her to pursue higher education and study at Austin Community College, where she is working toward her degree.
The PALs tutors were asked to line up in alphabetical order. The lovely members receiving their certificates were: Eugenia Baza, Ruth Badillo, Iris Bonilla, Linda Herrera, Mayra Herrera, Gabriela Hyer, Francine Mata, Olga Nunez, Maria Pedraza, Rita Elizabeth Ramurez, Saira Ramirez, Nicci Roche, Ofelia Rossniller, Monica Salazar, Lourdres Salinas, Guadalupe Sifuentes, Martha Simpson, Leticia Toribio, Mary Vargas, Vanessa Velez, and Mireya Venegas.
After receiving their certificates, the PALs graduates were treated to a slideshow of images of their work over the 2010–2011 year. Everyone took part in the festivities, taking group photographs, sharing hugs, and congratulating each other on a successful year. As the evening came to a close, ACE said adieu to the honored pre-k tutors and thanked them for their substantial efforts to help students build a strong foundation for reading and learning.
Angela Garner
ACE tutor