Left | Faviola Olvera
For Faviola Olvera, walking through the doors of The Literacy & Learning Center is a deeply meaningful full-circle moment. Her journey began in the late 1990s as an ESL student; today, she uses that experience to lead the Center’s new Citizenship Class.
Having navigated the citizenship process herself in 2008, Faviola intimately understands the anxiety accompanying the naturalization exam. While her own civics test was a “breeze” thanks to her high school teacher, Mrs. Frieda Bennett, she recognizes that most of her students did not attend school in the U.S., making the material entirely new to them. To combat the monotony of memorizing 100 intense questions, she utilizes engaging tools:
Visuals and Stories: Using videos and pictures to make the material stick.
Enthusiasm: Sharing her love for history to help students connect with the subject.
Guided Practice: Ensuring answering questions feels like second nature by exam day.
Faviola’s approach yields incredible results. She previously mentored Violeta Rojas Quintero, who passed her exam on the first try and now gives back to the community by working at the Center in the Pre-K program.
Faviola’s impact extends to her role as Executive Director of the Community Care Clinic. Both of her positions focus on helping neighbors access vital services, such as healthcare and education.
Faviola’s time at TL&LC has significantly influenced her leadership style. “Working with TL&LC opened my eyes to the nonprofit sector and showed me the tremendous impact a small organization can have,” she explains. She encourages current ESL students to dream big, even if stepping into leadership roles feels intimidating: “Your perspective and experiences matter.”
For Faviola, these classes are an investment in the community. She reflects on how her life changed when neighbors helped her learn English as an eight-year-old.
“Once they become citizens, they gain the right to vote, which is a significant responsibility,” she notes, emphasizing that civic participation makes the entire community stronger.
Visit TheLiteracyandLearningCenter.org to learn more or contact Caroline Cox at ccox@theliteracyandlearningcenter.org. And there’s a lot more I’d like to say about Faviola’s story – join us at theliteracyandlearningcenter.org/news.
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