Maria Gonzalez (San Diego, California)

I would love to . . . 1. See the schools providing more help and support for the children in school. 2. Have more awareness for literacy out in the public. 3. Improve our system for helping others who learn differently by teaching the teachers how to help them. We can make a difference but we need the support of the government with money and support for our learning dissabilities or our different way of learning. I would like to see adults be able to read and write what they want and the same for our children.

Tatiana Martinez (Tucson, Arizona)

The three things I'd like to see happen in the Year 2000 which would improve adult literacy in the United States? 1. Add computer literacy for all adult education programs. 2. Make it faster for students to prepare for GED. 3. Anything that adult education could do to help with immigration barriers.

Elizabeth Ann (Liz) Saunders (Columbus, Ohio)

I would like to . . . wish that the Literacy Stamp becomes a reality so that more people are aware of us. (Note: Adult learners in Ohio have been campaigning to have the U.S. Postal Service issue a "Literacy" stamp. Contact Liz Saunders at saunders.11@osu.edu or Dale Sherman at 330/225-1599.)

Paula Revoir (Ypsilanti, Michigan)

How nice each person's wish list is. My wish for 2000 would be for learners to come out and join in with us in Michigan Literacy . . . We learners are already on the website for Michigan Literacy. It's important to me that ALL THE LEARNERS who want to can learn about the computer and understand it and what it does for us, too. I'd like to see our local Learner Advisory Board membership grow bigger, too. Thank you.

Harry Seda (Middletown, New York)

My wishes for the Year 2000 (Y2K): 1. More student involvement in New York State's regions. 2. More states participating in student conferences. For example we are working on a Y2K student conference in the area of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. I am initiating a student conference because I believe that if, we can encourage other students to be more comfortable with other students, then they will learn.

Isabel Vazquez (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

1. I would like for the Government to increase funding for literacy agencies around the Country. 2. I would like to see commercials advertising the importance of adult literacy and the effects that it has on families. 3. I also would like the Government to help more with transportation and childcare for the families who are in training.

Pat Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana)

1. I would like to see more students stay in and keep things going after they get their GED or when they improve their reading to the point they could reach out to others. It seems to me a lot of adults get help and go on with their lives and they have so much to offer. Maybe they don't realize how important they can be to someone else. 2. Some New Readers need to be letting our law makers know what we can do and how our lives have changed with the help we got as we were learning. I say "some" new readers, because not everyone can speak to the law maker because they are too shy or unsure of themselves. 3. I would like to see us come out in a larger number to the national and state students conferences or to workshops. We have so much to give and to learn that if we come together in large groups we will find ourselves in someone else. Thank you for letting me give my wish list and what I want to see happen in 2000.

Kitty Gilane (Hartford, Wisconsin)

Three wishes for the year 2000 and beyond would be: 1. All states would offer the External Diploma Program for adults. It is a program where adults can learn at their own pace without pressure and walk off the stage with a diploma from one of the credited high schools in the area. 2. More advocacy, by adult learners, for children who are being overlooked in schools, who are living in abusive homes or do not get the parental or educators' extra attention they need for their education. 3. More financially-backed programs for adult learners to be able to go into the homes and help the parents, who are unable to help their children with their school work, because of lack of education of their own.

Harry Rose (Cumberland, Rhode Island)

1. To have more adults participate in literacy programs. 2. To hire a public relations person to work within the community, to make adults aware of the programs available. 3. To have more of us (adult student learners) speak on TV and radio, and in public schools, colleges, and anywhere we can spread the word.

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Revised 4/28/00