�I thought I was the only one with this problem,� Aata Etheredge said, �but now I know I�m NOT the only one.�

When Aata first went to the LVA office in Schenectady, NY, �I was shy and lacking in self confidence,� he said. Since that day four years ago Aata has come a very long way due to his efforts with his tutor, Shawna Thompson.

Aata, born and raised in New York City, is one of seven children. The family struggled to get by while he struggled in school. As he got older, he felt he could help his family more if he left school, so he started working to help out. Subsequently Aata never received the reading skills he needed. Aata pointed out, �I had always depended on family members to help me out with my reading and writing, but they started moving on with their lives. I just had to do something about it.�

Aata took the first step when he went to LVA. Taking an active role in structuring his tutoring sessions, he chose nine topics he wanted to learn more about. Some of the accomplishments he has made in those areas include reading sales flyers for the grocery store, reading chemical labels at work, registering to vote, sending Christmas cards and reading books for pleasure. He is now even a published author! After researching rodeos with his tutor Shawna and attending one with her, his account of the experience was published in LVA Schenectady�s student newsletter, �Communique.�

As a dedicated worker, Aata needed better reading skills to improve his chance for promotion. He also wanted to improve his quality of life. He now works as a presser at a dry cleaning business. When he was hired, Aata said, he felt his boss decided to take a chance on him and, consequently, he does not want to let him down. Better reading skills have helped Aata to be a more valuable employee. �Being able to read changes me from being stuck. It gives me the hope of moving up the career ladder at my job, not from just working hard but from thinking and having ideas that can help my employer,� he said.

Aata feels it is important for people to share their skills with others, whatever those skills may be. His advice to fellow LVA students is to �remember the LVA helped us, so let�s help them.� He has followed his own advice and given back to LVA. By helping to register people at fund-raisers, assisting in mailings and always being willing to help out in any way that he can, Aata has become a valuable resource to his affiliate.

He also said he would like to help other people who may be struggling with reading and writing by sharing his problems and talking about how a lack of reading skills cut him off from people. His advice? �Speak out about it, don�t hide it,� he said.

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