Literacy Group Honors Volunteer Who Passes Along Love of Learning

A retired Long Beach Naval Shipyard foreman who once taught co-workers reading and math during his lunch hour, Frank Guerrero is still teaching--this time at the Commerce Public Library.

“Anything you can learn is beneficial to your life,” he tells his students.

For his efforts, Guerrero has been named the 1993 Outstanding Tutor of the Year by California Literacy Inc.

Guerrero, 64, a five-year veteran of the Commerce Public Library literacy program, was selected from more than 30 tutors nominated statewide. He has worked with seven students, logging more than 600 hours teaching reading, writing and mathematics.

“We retired people have so much experience and knowledge from all our years of work, I don’t think it should be wasted,” said Guerrero, the chairman of the Commerce Planning Commission and a declared candidate for City Council.

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 training, 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. “All that, and he tutors pretty well, too.”

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

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Diego Gonzales of Compton will attend the National Young Leaders Conference this week in Washington. Gonzales, a junior at Pius X High School, will be among 350 students from across the country who will attend the program for outstanding high school students. The will meet officials and debate and vote in a mock Congress.

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Joan Laing of Lakewood has been elected governor of Toastmasters International District 1, which includes the Long Beach and Los Angeles areas. Laing, a retired Los Angeles County systems analyst, has been a member of Toastmasters International for six years. The nonprofit organization helps people develop self-confidence in public speaking, communication and leadership. Also elected were Lt. Gov. Laura Bayne, who is in charge of education and training, and Lt. Gov. Gina Matson, who will handle marketing.

Six FHP administrators in Southeast Los Angeles County have been honored for their work with local schools. FHP’s Partnerships for Achieving and Learning in Schools (PALS) Apple Awards were given to Downey Medical Center Administrator Matt Shifflett and Assistant Administrator Simone Luyt for work with Imperial Elementary School in Downey and Downey High School.

Long Beach Medical Center Administrator Dirk Zirbel and Assistant Administrator Ellen Hedani were honored for their work with Lincoln and Cubberley elementary schools in Long Beach.

FHP Charter Community Hospital Administrator Warren Kirk and Charter Medical Center’s Rick Stoddard worked with Aloha Elementary School in Lakewood and Hawaiian Elementary School in Hawaiian Gardens.