On April 16, 2024, Literacy Rochester student, Emily, received her U.S. citizenship. Emily was alongside 50 other people from 13 unique countries who were also receiving their citizenships. In attendance was Emily’s long time partner Timothy Phaff and Instructional Coordinator, Audra Surman, who worked with Emily personally to help her prepare for the test.
Before moving to the U.S. in 2017, Emily is originally from Taiwan. She has two sons who are U.S citizens. She enjoys shopping at different grocery stores and browsing the variety of options available. Emily also finds that visiting and shopping at local Chinese stores helps her feel less homesick.
Emily always envisioned that one day she would get her U.S. citizenship. Her dream finally came true this year as Emily received her citizenship with the help from Literacy Rochester. Emily heard about Literacy Rochester from her friend Min Liu who had been attending the English as a New Language classes at the Pittsford Community Library. Emily reached out to the Literacy Rochester office and connected with Audra who worked one-to-one with Emily to study key terms, conversations, and especially writing practice.
“[Audra] gave me good direction, helped me with studying, and helped me focus on what was necessary. If I had questions [Audra] would give me answers immediately.” – Emily
Emily always envisioned that one day she would get her U.S. citizenship. Her dream finally came true this year as Emily received her citizenship with the help from Literacy Rochester. Emily heard about Literacy Rochester from her friend Min Liu who had been attending the English as a New Language classes at the Pittsford Community Library. Emily reached out to the Literacy Rochester office and connected with Audra who worked one-to-one with Emily to study key terms, conversations, and especially writing practice.
“[Audra] gave me good direction, helped me with studying, and helped me focus on what was necessary. If I had questions [Audra] would give me answers immediately.” – Emily
Emily’s main focus was practicing her writing skills. During the first few sessions with Audra, Emily was not comfortable writing words. Therefore, the two would work through writing key vocabulary terms such as California, Nation, and Washington, in preparation for the test. With lots of practice, Emily felt ready for the test and then passed!
Emily mentioned that she now feels relief having her citizenship because she knows that traveling or filling out paperwork will be a breeze in the future. She is thankful for the support that Literacy Rochester was able to provide her.
Emily encourages those who need test prep help as well to reach out to Literacy Rochester. Students will be paired with a volunteer who can help with their specific needs. In addition, Emily stressed the importance of studying and staying calm when preparing for big tests. With proper assistance and a determined mindset, anyone can achieve the goals they set for themselves.
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