�I know now I can do it!� seems to be Tammy Wilmoth�s self-proclaimed motto. She has made huge strides since she became involved with the LVA Butte Literacy Program just over a year ago. Because of her hard work and accomplishments, she was named the Ruth J. Colvin 1999 Basic Literacy Student of the Year at the national conference in Nashville. As a student of the Family Literacy Program, Tammy has distinguished herself with her hard work ethic and her many achievements.

Tammy is very open about how she came to need LVA�s help. She left school at the age of 16 because a teacher told her that she was �too stupid to learn.� Tammy decided in the spring of 1998 that she needed more education. She was working hard at her job but could not spend much time with her children or take time off when they were sick. She quit her job and sought help from LVA. She knew the only way to move ahead with her life was to gain the education she needed to find a better job.

Tammy has logged more than 886 hours of study time with her tutor Wayne, since June 1998. She has improved her reading scores by five reading levels and improved her math skills by more than six. By earning her GED, Tammy became the first person in her family to complete a secondary education. Tammy knows now that she can learn.

Now that she has gained so many skills she wants to make sure her children value education as much as she does. She is very proud that her seven-year-old son is following her example and is excited about school now. She currently attends her local College of Technology to earn a degree in accounting. She is also gaining work experience by participating in a 20 hour a week job at the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse in the Treasurer�s Department. She has even become first aid/infant and adult CPR certified, through the American Red Cross, and has passed the basic computer skills test. Her affiliate, the LVA Butte Literacy Program, also named her student of the year.

Tammy just continues to excel. As the executive director of LVA-BLP wrote, �Tammy is an incredibly hard worker. She is highly motivated to learn and dedicated to the education of herself and her children.� Tammy is unstoppable in her pursuit of education.

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