She'd memorize words she needed to read for jobs, or she'd slyly say she didn't understand something in hopes of having someone read to her.

At 29, however, she grew tired of having to rely on other people to do everything from vote to read basic instructions. For the first time in her life, she visited a library and found Alameda County's Write to Read program.

Thousands of adults have learned basic spelling, reading and writing skills through the program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary Saturday.

Like many other students, Garcia said she was passed through the public school system without learning basic skills. It was embarrassing, she said, to be an adult and not know how to read.

"I got tired of not feeling confident in myself," she said. "I wasn't involved in what was going on in the world. I didn't read the news. I felt like I was never involved in conversations."

Fifteen years after joining the program, Garcia now works as a student advocate for the program, which educates roughly 300 students a year in small groups and one-on-one sessions at libraries throughout Alameda County.

It was one of the first programs formed in the state, said Sherry Drobner, director of Write to Read. It's as much a support group as it is a class, she said.

"A lot of people feel isolated," she said. "There's a sense of shame and doubt, and a lack of confidence."

After attending classes for six years, Annie Torres of Newark said she can now read to her granddaughter.

It's really helped a lot, he said. The teachers and staff are very dedicated.

The staff have organized an anniversary celebration Saturday and have invited former students to come and share their personal stories, Drobner said. The celebration also will include a panel discussion with former students.

"We want a chance to see how we've all changed," she said.

Garcia's life has certainly changed for the better through her involvement in the program, she said. Not only does she have more job security, but a whole new world has been opened to her, she said.

"I feel robbed not having (reading skills) as a child," she said. "It's inspiring to take yourself away in a book. You can go anywhere you want."

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
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