Living Together, Learning Together: Almas & Reda

For mother-daughter pair Almas and Reda, literacy is a family affair.

When Reda and her husband moved their three daughters from Yemen to Harrisonburg a little over 7 months ago, they knew they wanted to get their family involved with English classes as soon as possible. “I enjoy the English classes very much,” Almas says. “My teachers are happy when I ask questions, they let me understand everything and take things slowly when I need them to”

While Reda and Almas are involved with Skyline’s beginner English courses for adults, the family has also found opportunities for family learning through Skyline’s Family Literacy Nights. These weekly virtual sessions consist of a read-aloud of a children’s book by one of Skyline’s volunteer teachers, a craft that goes along with the story, and a discussion/share time where parents and their children get to read the stories together and talk about what they’ve learned.

Every Tuesday night, Reda and her daughters (Almas, Remas, and Farah) log onto Zoom and listen, read, and learn alongside several other immigrant and refugee families in the Harrisonburg area. The Zoom format has been a great option for the family, as it's allowed them to learn from their home and participate in the class while Reda cares for a newborn at home. “We are learning new things” Almas says, “And getting to do it as a family, with other families… it gives us something to look forward to at the end of the day. It can be very isolating here, so the class has been good because we get to see other families and kids.”

In addition to providing a sense of community and connection, the Family Literacy Nights encourage new forms of bonding within the families themselves. “When we left Yemen, we could not bring children’s books with us” Almas says, “We don’t have any here in our house that are written in Arabic, so the literacy nights let us all read together.” Isolation has been difficult for the family over the last few months. While her husband is at work, Reda and the girls are limited to their home and neighborhood. Though things have been challenging, Skyline classes and resources have made the family excited for the future in many ways. Reda is excited to get better at English and one day find a job nearby to support her family. Almas, the oldest of the children, has big dreams as well. She practices her English skills at home every day and is in one-on-one conversational classes through Skyline. “I am hoping to get my driver's license soon so I can help my mom and be able to drive around” she says, adding that her long-term goal is to go to university and be a nurse or doctor. “I like to help people, to make them happy and feel good.”

A Lifetime of Learning: Kishwar's Story

Kishwar Rashid is a proud lifelong learner. In 1976, Kishwar’s son came to the U.S. to pursue higher education, and when he graduated and found a job in New York, she joined him in the states. After getting settled in New York, Kishwar began working towards becoming an American citizen. Though she was trying to prepare for the process on her own, Kishwar began seeking out additional ways to get ready for the citizenship test and interview process. It wasn’t long before someone introduced her to Skyline Literacy.

Though Kishwar lived in New York, she was still able to take advantage of Skyline’s resources through virtual options, which presented a whole new set of skills to learn. “When I first started, I didn’t know how to work zoom, or how to set up a zoom account. Without the help of Jyar Abdulla (Skyline’s program manager), I could not have been here today, talking about this program.”

In addition to helping her get set up with technology, Kishwar says that Skyline staff and teachers made the citizenship preparation courses themselves fun, welcoming, and educational.

“I felt really good during the first class. The teachers are helpful and supportive, and they explain things two or three times to help you understand. I knew that if I asked questions, they would respond, and if I needed something, they would help.”

Kishwar encourages those pursuing citizenship to look into Skyline as an option. And reminds them that if she, at the age of 74 years, could succeed and learn in these classes, that they can, too.

“I would definitely advise them to join Skyline Literacy classes because I benefited so much from them” she says, adding that the organized structure of the class has allowed her to learn a lot about the citizenship process and feel more prepared for her interview. When asked what excites her most about becoming a citizen, Kishwar says that she is ecstatic to be a part of the democratic system of America.

“I think this is a very democratic country with so many opportunities. There is so much freedom of speech, religion, press, you know… few countries can offer that. And I’m excited to be a part of this country as a citizen."

TW Johnson Volunteer Teacher Spotlight

Skyline Literacy would like to thank volunteer teacher, TW Johnson, for his time and support with our students!

Student Spotlight

Hozyar Hamasoor is a student and volunteer at Skyline Literacy. She is learning English so that one day she can become a nurse.

Donor Spotlight

Nathan Brustein is an active supporter of Skyline Literacy for many years. We would like to give a special thanks to him and his wife, Maria Pichler for their involvement with Skyline Literacy. We are grateful for their ongoing support. Thanks for making a difference in our students' lives!

Student Spotlight

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.

Volunteer Teacher Spotlight

“People can dedicate an hour or two to help others learn a language or subject. You don’t need to be a teacher; you just need to be willing to give your time to help them learn.”

— Griselda Cardona

Griselda Cardona began volunteering with Skyline Literacy in January 2019. She was new to Harrisonburg, VA and was looking for volunteer opportunities in the area. She discovered Skyline Literacy on a google search and decided to get in contact with the office. Cardona was drawn to Skyline Literacy because she was interested in teaching adults and the resources that assisted her in doing so. Being first generation American, she had watched her parents struggle with the English language and not have the resources to learn the language and to obtain citizenship. She wanted to help others by teaching and assisting them on the road to become an American citizen.
Cardona began volunteering as an assistant citizenship teacher and now is the lead teacher for the English and Spanish citizenship classes. She appreciates working with Skyline Literacy as they provide established lesson plans and trainings for adult education. She did not have to be a teacher before joining the volunteer group at Skyline Literacy.
The students' eagerness and passion to learn is what Cardona considers most rewarding as a teacher. She enjoys getting to know the students and helping them using her skills and resources. She encourages others to volunteer: "People can dedicate an hour or two to help others learn a language or subject. You don't need to be a teacher; you just need to be willing to give your time to help them learn." She is grateful for this volunteer opportunity and encourages others to become involved in adult education through Skyline Literacy.

An Opportunity to Learn

Alexis Nsabimana came to the United States on April 11, 2019. He was born and raised in Burundi (East Africa) and later lived and studied in the United Kingdom and France. He came to the United States with his wife, and now is the father of a newborn son. 

Alexis found out about Skyline Literacy online when he was searching for free English classes. While the classes at Skyline Literacy are not free, they are an affordable option. When searching the Skyline Literacy website, he watched a testimonial video of a past student’s experience at Skyline Literacy and decided that he wanted to take classes there as well.

He decided to sign up for the 2019 summer conversation class that was taking place. “I am very grateful that Skyline Literacy gave me the opportunity to practice and improve my English,” Alexis said. He thought that the class was very interesting and enjoyed the opportunity to practice English while meeting people of different cultures. The class consisted of people from different countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Iraq, Burundi and Japan. This environment gave him the opportunity to learn English, experience new cultures and learn American life skills that were taught in the lessons.

Alexis also appreciated the teaching method of the student-centered classroom. It gave him the opportunity to speak more often and improve his English, instead of the traditional lecture approach. Since the classroom was student-centered, he felt free to shamelessly ask questions about things he did not understand and make mistakes while speaking. Alexis was further grateful that the teacher gave him time to explain himself or to ask other students about their opinions. He felt encouraged to figure things out on his own and take responsibility for his learning. 

Alexis is excited to continue studying English and is planning to take another class with Skyline Literacy. While he is capable of studying English independently, he enjoys the social structure that a classroom provides and the direction of a teacher. Some of his personal goals include furthering his language proficiency, getting a U.S degree, and supporting his family with an effective career. Alexis is very ambitious to learn and is grateful that Skyline Literacy provides affordable classes, qualified teachers, and vital resources to help him reach his goals.

“I am very grateful that Skyline Literacy gave me the opportunity to practice and improve my English”

— Alexis Nsabimana