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Abigail Rodriguez
Abigail Rodriguez
When Abigail first came to Bartlesville Public Library Literacy Services (BPLLS), her main personal goals were to learn English and get her U.S. driver's license. In the beginning, she spoke very little English. In the past year, Abigail's CASAS score has increased by 10 points. Her studies have aided her transition to comfortable English usage in daily life and in the community. She can hold conversations with other English speakers. She can fill out forms in English. According to her tutor, Abigail has progressed from relying on book exercises to starting independent conversations. Abigail's speaking skills have improved, showing better pronunciation and subtle sound differentiation than when she started.
Learning English has enabled Abigail to thrive in daily life in America with confidence. Learning English has enabled her to communicate with her sons' teachers. It has also helped her to pass the driver's exam and get her driver's license in the United States. It has opened up opportunities for Abigail to share her culture with others. Abigail has shown a strong willingness to learn about and be part of American culture without losing her own sense of culture and identity. It has also given her something to share with her family, as Abigail has brought her husband and children to literacy programming in the past.
At one point, Abigail studied to take the driver's test. She made her own flash cards to help herself study for the written exam. Once she passed the test, she gave her flash cards to BPLLS to share with other students needing to take the driver's test. At least one other student has benefited from Abigail's contribution. Abigail also attends Spanish classes at BPLLS to help Spanish language learners with pronunciation and language exchange. Abigail has assisted in many such programs at BPLLS and is known to many learners and staff at the library.
In January 2025, BPLLS faced losing grant funding for the citizenship program due to the Bartlesville City Council coming to a standstill over funding approval. At the February meeting, Abigail joined BPLLS and other learners to defend the program and support its funding. Abigail spoke at the meeting, sharing her story and how literacy programs like BPLLS helped her to reach her goals. She was also invited to speak with City Councilman Aaron Kirkpatrick to discuss the BPLLS program. Thanks to the support of learners like Abigail, the BPLLS citizenship program regained funding and was thus able to continue.
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