This mobile school is the brainchild of the Sisters of St. Joseph. To meet the need of literacy training in the area, the Sisters purchased a bookmobile and converted it into a mobile classroom. Each weekday the bus is driven to a different location in the southwestern and western suburbs, and trained volunteers teach reading and writing to adults who have no other access to literacy training. Students work with the same tutor at every session so that they can build a relationship, receive good feedback and encouragement, and gain confidence to keep trying.
Participants pay only a nominal book fee, otherwise the program is free.
Chicago's western suburbs are the adopted home of nearly 50,000 immigrants from areas as diverse as Central America, Southeast Asia, or Eastern Europe. In their efforts to become contributing citizens of their adopted homeland, many of these newcomers experience difficulty in attending literacy classes because they live in areas not serviced by public transportation.