COMMERCE : Planning Official Is Tutor of the Year

California Literacy Inc. has named city Planning Commission Chairman Frank Guerrero its 1993 Outstanding Tutor of the Year.

Guerrero, 64, a five-year volunteer in the Commerce Public Library literacy program, was selected from more than 30 tutors nominated statewide. He has taught seven students and logged more than 600 hours tutoring in basic reading, writing and mathematics.

Guerrero, a declared candidate for City Council, is a retired Long Beach Naval Shipyard foreman who once taught co-workers reading and math skills during his lunch hour. Guerrero tells his students that “anything you can learn is beneficial to your life.”

“We retired people have so much experience and knowledge from all our years of work, I don’t think it should be wasted,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero is one of 15 volunteer tutors in the Commerce program and one of 5,400 who work with California Literacy Inc. throughout the state.

“Frank attends all the in-service trainings, is always the first to RSVP on invitations to special events and faithfully turns in his monthly reports,” Commerce’s literacy coordinator, Cathay Reta, wrote in the award nomination letter for Guerrero. “And he tutors pretty well too.”

About 49% of the nation’s adults have difficulty with basic reading and writing, and 26% need help with comprehension, according to a recent literacy survey by the U.S. Department of Education.

The library literacy program is seeking more tutors and periodically schedules training workshops.

Information: (213) 722-READ.