IMPACT
in Rapid City
Your Generosity in Action
Thanks to your support, United Way of the Black Hills is proud to share real stories — told in the words of our partners — that show how your generosity is making a difference every day.
Literacy Council of the Black Hills
An incredible journey starts with the Literacy Council
Wow! I am remembering the path I took to get where I am today. It has been an incredible journey with many challenges, tears, and sleepless nights. I started learning English from scratch. I did not know anything. Every conversation ended with me saying “okay.” It is actually funny to remember.
I discovered the Literacy Council of the Black Hills in 2021 when I moved to Rapid City. It is the best thing that has happened to me. I met my first tutor, and we started working together immediately. We met once a week for an hour at the library. My desire to learn was strong. I started studying five to six hours a day using apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone.
When I met with my tutor, it was to clarify what I had not yet understood, ask questions, and correct the lessons that I had done. I had the habit of taking notes and sticking them on the wall. This helped me memorize everyday phrases.
I began living my life in the English-speaking world. I immersed myself in my studies and a new social network. With the help of the Literacy Council of the Black Hills, I have had many achievements like getting my driver’s license and being accepted by Black Hills State University to study Business Management. I have just completed my second year in college and what seemed impossible has become possible thanks to my strength and determination and the Literacy Council volunteers who dedicate their lives and time to tutoring and helping others learn English.
I have received two scholarships to help with my college expenses and made the Dean’s list the last two semesters. I also have a full-time job during the summer at BHSU. But best of all I can communicate in English. None of what I have accomplished would have been possible if I had not received so much support from the Literacy Council of the Black Hills and its tutors.
Thanks to this organization, I have also been introduced to other cultures and made many friends, who I will certainly keep in my heart forever. My journey is not over yet, but I can taste victory, and all the sacrifice and dedication is worth it. Thanks very much to all the volunteer tutors involved in this program. You really make a difference in people’s lives and especially in the lives of your students who leave their families, their homes, and their countries in search of new opportunities and a better life in the United States.
“Everything is possible when you believe.” (Mark 9:23)
Thanks to generous donors like you, United Way of the Black Hills is able to make stories like this possible!