That Shining Star was just a flicker of a hope in 1992 when nine women noticed a
need for better literacy, better reading ability for adults they knew here in the Shawano area.
Jean Bertling, Kathy Erb, Erma Olson, Sonja Maas, Mitzi Moesch, Jan Yeakey, Rita Lemke, Lois
Barry, and Vi Scholz formed the first Board of Directors for the Shawano County Literacy
Council. Two Tutor Trainers came from Racine two weekends in a row to train 16 new tutors.
The Trainers asked for no pay, but willingly gave of their time to help them off to a great start.
So, a spark grew and began to light the way…to better reading and better literacy.
Kathy Erb, Board President, agreed to lead the tutor training for the next couple years. All of
the Board Members were urged to take the training so they would better understand what
tutoring was all about and to know the rewards of helping an adult learn to read and write
better. Kathy Erb and Jean Bertling both worked with students when the Board was formed.
Getting the word out that the Literacy Council was available to help kept the spark growing.
Kathy worked in the Job Center for Forward Services and Jan Yeakey was a GED Instructor in
Menominee County and through their contacts, referrals and phone inquiries, students were
assessed and matched with a tutor. Students didn’t have to wait long as tutors were eager to
begin helping.
The Shawano County Literacy Council first kept their records and books in the Moede Building. Board
Meetings met in their meeting room until 1996 when Kathy’s employer, Forward Services, moved
to the Shawano County Job Center on Elizabeth St. and they rented a small office there. In the fall of
2009 they moved to an office in the new Chamber of Commerce Building on South Main Street.
Shawano County Literacy Council needed to let the star shine brighter with more publicity to cause
people to be more aware of their offer of help. Thus, they were interviewed on Habeck’s Morning Radio
Program, had a booth at the County Fair, the Presbyterian Mission Fair, the County Volunteer Fair, and the
Shawano Leader’s Home Show. They placed announcements on the local radio, ads in the Shopper,
posters in stores and restaurants, ads on place mats at Luigi’s, flyers in bags at grocery stores, brochures
in parent packets at some of the schools, mailed letters, spoke at local organizations, churches and
manufacturing firms. They also participated in local parades. They were especially proud of a Shawano
Leader article that ran in 2006 recognizing Micki Thelen as Wisconsin Tutor of the Year!
The Literacy Council has proven to be a dynamic organization. Our program today had some
major growing pains during Covid — we had to figure out a way to continue tutoring while
keeping both our tutors and students safe. We brainstormed and decided to offer virtual tutoring.
We received a very generous donation and were able to purchase tablets and MiFi units to loan
to students so that they could learn in the safety of their homes and the tutors could be safe in
their own homes as well. Virtual tutoring required tutors to learn something new as well, but it
also allowed us to expand our program to the large dairy farms in the area. Today the majority of
our students are immigrant workers learning English – a win- win for both employer and
employee alike. Today we have 8 Board Members, 9 Tutors and 14 students.
Through the years, wrote Jean Bertling, that spark grew into a brighter and brighter star. A star
of hope and help for adults wanting to learn reading and to learn English as a second language,
assistance that enabled them to help their families, or be rewarded with a promotion at work.
Today, 30 years later, that spark has grown into a Bright and Shining Star!
By Karen Milligan
Vice-Chair Shawano County Literacy Council