LIHUE — There is more to helping adults learn to read and write than putting words to paper.
For Dennis Dresser, knowing the stories of those adults is how he can best do his job as adult literacy coordinator of Hawaii Literacy on Kauai.
Some could be after their citizenship.
Others might be going for a driver’s license.
A few may be looking for a job or hoping to start a business.
But before they can do that, they need to learn or sharpen up on the English Language.
Dennis Dresser might just be their best friend.
“We try and help people in any way they need,” he said. “We take whatever their needs are, teach them what they need to get into it, then help them get into it.”
The 88-year-old has been leading the free program on Kauai the past 14 years. In that time, he and his volunteer tutors have helped hundreds of people improve their reading and writing skills, or even learn English. Many of his students, young adults to kupuna, have come from Japan, China and Chile.
Dresser still has a passion to serve others at a time in his life when he could be resting and taking it easy. He remains upbeat, positive and outgoing, sporting colorful aloha shirts and his trademark cap, greeting others with a smile.
“We’ll take anybody,” he said. “We’ll stay with them as long as they want us to stay with them and help them.”
These days, Dresser said they have room for more students, so he is reaching to connect with them.
For those interested in tutoring, it takes about two sessions to cover the basics and then they may be assigned a student. It is rewarding, Dresser said, but does require patience.
Students can be at any level of literacy. As long as they want to read and write better when it comes to the English language, he wants to do what he can to help them succeed. It’s about meeting their goals, not his.
They can be in the program as long as necessary, and can even leave it and return, if necessary. Key is, Dresser said, students are always welcome.
“I don’t care where they are on the scale,” he said. “We’ll evaluate them, start them and expand the bases.”
The program is free, with the only cost for the workbooks.
Dresser can be reached at 332-5544 or islandvision@hawaii.rr.com
