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I first met Sonia in April of 2002. The semester had started a week earlier and I had already completed three classroom sessions with my current Word Processing class. I was asked if it was too late for new students to start the class. As I spoke with Sonia, I was immediately impressed by her English ability and the very determined look in her eye. She told me she had never used a computer before, was from Afghanistan, had been in the United States for a while and had not seen her family for two years. I told her to come to class the next morning and we would try to get her "caught up" with the other students.

The next morning, Sonia was the first student to arrive for class (a practice she maintained for the entire semester). We agreed to spend the next few days staying after class to review the lessons she had missed. I was again impressed with her receptiveness and her willingness to stick with something until she mastered the correct technique (i.e. using the mouse). Within two days she had caught up with other students and was eager to learn more about the computer and anything else I would teach her. As the semester progressed, Sonia quickly became proficient with the computer. She continuously looked for ways to improve herself as well as expose herself to new things. Her enthusiasm and spirit were contagious.

I must give credit where credit is due. Sonia's cheerful personality made her instantly popular with her classmates. Several of them assisted me in doing the initial remediation with Sonia. This allowed her to keep up with her classmates and still enabled me to continue moving forward with my lesson plans. I really appreciated their assistance in working with a new student. It is another example of how special NSC is.

I taught the class to use e-mail and set up each student with their own e-mail address. I suggested they get library cards, which would allow them to use the library's computers and enable them to practice and maintain their computer skills. As usual, Sonia was the first student to get a library card and e-mail me.

I also instructed the students about the Internet and the many things it was capable of providing them. They did basic research on their individual countries and made a presentation to their classmates. It was great to see the pride each student felt for their country. I introduced Sonia to various web sites that would allow her to keep up with events in her country, especially the war. She is now able to research various aspects of her country and send e-mail, thus allowing her to stay in touch with her friends and family.

Sonia has come a long way since our first meeting. She has several job prospects and has used the Internet to research several local college programs. She has succeeded because of her own persistence and desire to excel. She took full advantage of the opportunities NSC presented to her.

The skills Sonia learned were what was originally envisioned when the computer lab opened this previous January. It was another tool to empower NSC clients. Students now learn keyboarding, word-processing, Internet skills and are provided e-mail accounts. Students graduate from class computer-literate with a basic knowledge of technology. It makes them hungry to learn. And what more can a teacher ask of a student?

By Joe Eastman edited by Erla Zwingle
July 2002