Seven-year-old Carlos Soltero knows what it takes to become a good speller. Carlos and his mom, Dilma, are two of the star pupils enrolled in the family literacy program Even Start. When Dilma Soltero arrived in America from El Salvador, she couldn't speak a word of English.
"I couldn't even say 'Hi' in English. I didn't know how to say it," Soltero said.
But working with her Even Start teacher, Sister Carol Quinn, Soltero began to gain a firm grasp of the language, through long hours of study.
"When I'm done with the homework and I call Sister Carol and I say, 'I'm done with the homework,' so she stopped by my house, she give me more and she teach me more," Soltero said.
The idea behind Even Start is to help parents overcome their educational challenges so that they can become teachers to their own kids.
"I can help him now to do homework. I can speak with him now and with my other two little boys," Soltero said. Soltero is encouraged by the progress Carlos has been making.
"Now, he looks so much better. Now, I don't think he have any learning problems. Now he's learning normal, like the other kids can do it," Soltero said.
Organizers say kids like Carlos would be be as many as 1,000 words behind in their vocabulary compared to their classmates without the help they receive from Even Start.
"It's really geared to break the cycle of low literacy as well as poverty for families," Volunteers of America, Dakotas Vice-President Sheryl Barnett said.
But there are concerns that cutbacks could finish-off Even Start. The nationwide program has already seen its $250 million budget trimmed to $66 million. Funding is scheduled to be completely phased out next year. And because of the state of the current economy, organizers aren't optimistic of getting any of those funds restored.
"One, we have fewer people involved in Even Start because of the previous cuts, and two, I know it's competing with very challenging other needs," Barnett said.
Critics of Even Start say the program hasn't been meeting performance expectations. But supporters say those evaluations are based on out-of-date statistics. Although fewer people are now involved with Even Start, they hope enough of them will step forward and fight for funding.
"If this program disappears, that will be terrible. If they don't keep going, helping people, it's sad if that happens," Soltero said.
Soltero and her family will soon be opening a restaurant in Sioux Falls. She says their business venture wouldn't have been possible without the English skills she's gained through Even Start. She hopes the program will survive for many more years so other families can pursue their version of the American Dream.
"It's my favorite job. I can say that because that's my family. That's my life. I'm so proud of them," Soltero said.
South Dakota's two Even Start programs are based in Sioux Falls and Huron and served 75 low-income families last year. The program is administered through Volunteers of America. Even Start also receives United Way funding.
