Cynthia Bryant has been selected as the Ruth J. Colvin Basic Literacy Student of the Year for 2000. She received her award at LVA�s National Conference 2000: Show Me the Future! in Kansas City, MO, on Oct. 7.

This year the staff at the Jersey City Public Library Literacy Program was pleased to give their Student of the Year Award to Cynthia Bryant. She had an outstanding year and continues to move forward, setting new goals. She graduated high school, but feels she was given social promotions throughout those years. After a couple of years of working with her tutor, she passed her pre-GED test and is now enrolled in a regular GED class. She also entered a life skills program to prepare her to work as a carpenter.

Cynthia is willing to share her life experiences with tutors and students. She always says, �I want others to hear my story and learn from it.� She overcame many obstacles and dependencies that started when she was fourteen. She has opened her doors to homeless mothers and children. She hopes, with the help of her tutor, to write a short novel about her life.

She enjoys studying in classes with students who are literate and she wants no special treatment. She has learned word processing and other programs such as Excel and Powerpoint. She can now do her own research and type her own papers. She mentors a homeless student in the affiliate. With her new confidence, she now has begun to do volunteer work for her church.

Cynthia is active in her student support group. She volunteers her time at fundraisers and speaks at tutor training workshops. She was Jersey City�s representative to the New Jersey LVA Conference. She participated in a group presentation on learning disabilities. She is an inspirational example of how one can turn life around equipped with a sense of humor, determination, and a will to achieve goals.

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