Theresa Sterling’s passion is helping people learn how to read.
As the literacy coordinator for the Alachua County Library District, Sterling ensures adults across the Gainesville community still have the opportunity to learn how to read.
"Reading is a skill that gets better with intervention, instruction and practice," she said.
For her work with the program over the past three years, Sterling received the 2015 Carol Combs Hole Award last week. The award is given annually to staff within the library district in honor of Carol Combs Hole, a former staff member who worked in the district for 32 years.
"She’s done amazing things in revitalizing the literacy program," said Rebecca Kirkland, a library assistant at the Alachua County Library Headquarters. "She’s reaching a lot of people."
The program, which Sterling coordinates and manages, draws volunteers from across the community to work with non-English- speaking and dyslexic adults. The adults range from 40 to 76 years old.
"It’s a real niche," said Nickie Kortus, the library’s marketing and public relations manager. "She has that spark that makes everybody feel like they have the ability and they can do it. I think it’s a talent."
With a master’s degree in applied linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of South Florida, Sterling matches tutors and learners, who meet twice a week, based on their personalities. Volunteers go through 24 total hours of training before they can tutor.
"It’s intensive training and not everyone wants to do it," she said. "But my districts figures, well, if we’re gonna have a literacy program, let’s do it right."
Sterling said it was neat to have her work with the program and the community recognized by her peers at the library. She hopes her work with the program will help reduce the stigma about adults who struggle with reading.
"My vision is that in this community and beyond that we change the perception of folks who don’t know how to read or folks who struggle with reading because it’s not tied to intelligence," she said.
