Brad Sperry

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"It's important for me to give back to the community. I grew up with that philosophy. My dad was a very active union organizer in Connecticut and taught me it is important to give back to folks who don't have the same opportunities and benefits. I enjoy tutoring at TFL as a concrete way of giving back - literacy is so critical to having a strong family and a strong economy. TFL's focus on the learner is paramount and I appreciate that aspect of working here. I've heard many positive things about TFL from former students and peers in the community. There's a general acknowledgement that you're doing a wonderful job. Your colleagues from other adult literacy organizations are very positive about your efforts so I'd heard a lot about TFL over the years. I've just retired after almost 40 years' experience in social services, education and workforce development. I find the variety of students fascinating and it reinforces for me the fact that we're all in the same canoe - there's more that brings us together than separates us."

Brad joined TFL in September 2008. He works with two ESL students each week: Huseyin, a Turkish man who is studying for the Citizenship exam; and a young man from Sri Lanka who is anxious to improve his pronunciation. Brad also helped to design reading and writing curriculum for the Bridge to College program, and mentors one of the students in this program.