National Adult Literacy Database

July 28, 2008

This week, we have a story written by Richard Miller, from Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador. Richard has been on the learners' advisory committee of the Movement for Canadian Literacy. He will soon be working in the shipping industry offshore from Newfoundland.

Story (Part 2 of 3)

by Richard Miller

I started off in level I course with Mr. Nick Donovan. He helps me with my reading and gave me the support to keep going. Mr. Donovan was there to help me. He put a lot of his time working with me. There was no way he would give up on me.

I had many setbacks that cause me to give up, but then start again. It was when I started going to Laubach Literacy Council meetings and went to AGM I had a chance to meet learners just like myself. I then kept going. New doors were opening for me. My reading got better and soon I was talking out loud to whoever would listen and then I went back to the College Of The North Atlantic. With the help from Mr. Donovan, my instructor, I was on my way toward an Education. It was from there on I just kept thinking positive and I set small goals at a time.

I am a level III student at the Clarenville campus of the College of the North Atlantic. I have been to marine Institute of memorial University. I'm studying an ABE level III in Biology and I'm planning to enroll in a program in Fish and Wildlife Management. I want to work with a Biologist and study fish and research at our campus. Also I volunteer every chance I get to speak to young people about staying in school.

I have a little girl who is five years of age and I help her to read and write. I have been in High School talking to students about education and how important it is today to have an education. I have done so many things now that I can read. I never thought that I would be able to talk in front of a group of people. However, I had a chance to do that at the Delta Hotel on October 30, 2001 while accepting an award from Canada Post.

Part 1 | Part 3

[This story was taken with permission, from A Book of Changes, which was intended for display at Literacy Action Day, on Parliament Hill. Learners' Advisory Network (LAN) members felt that true stories from learners would make literacy 'come alive' for the politicians who read them.]