Omar Alsaddoon came to Harrisonburg, VA from Iraq with his wife, Fatimah Abbas, and his family in 2015. After some time, he began taking classes at Massanutten Technical Center (MTC) to become an electrician. The course began with a review of basic math (algebra, geometry, etc.), a subject he had studied in Arabic many years ago, but never in English. The MTC instructor recommended Omar to Skyline Literacy so he could receive one-on-one tutoring to refresh his mathematical skills.
Through Skyline Literacy, Omar connected with Anne Riley, a former accountant who is passionate about math. He began studying with her about a year ago and has excelled ever since, “When I first started, I didn’t remember anything. Thanks to Anne I am able to study to become an electrician”. After receiving one-on-one tutoring with Anne, Omar has successfully passed his first exam and will continue to study with her as he prepares for the next two exams.
Omar and his wife, Fatimah, have also taken citizenship classes with Skyline Literacy and Anne Riley tutors them as they continue to prepare for their citizenship interview. At the beginning of their one-on-one tutoring sessions, Omar and Anne often met in person. Now due to COVID regulations, they meet via Zoom. Omar is grateful that he is able to continue his studies amidst the current situation.