Elane Wilcox

By KIM SCHMIDT
Hub Staff Writer

KEARNEY- Elane Wilcox's wishes are simple.

She wants to help non-English-speaking people learn the language and use it every day.

As a tutor for the Kearney Literacy Council, Wilcox, 82, is doing just that. For five hours a week, Wilcox tutors Kearneyites for free in English as a second language.

It's a job she adores.

"I don't think of it as teaching," she said. "We don't have hours. We don't have grades, and you don't pass or fail. You're just there trying to learn English."

Wilcox's patience and ability to teach English has earned her the 2002 Freedom Award in the Education Category. Kearney High School guidance counselor Joan Smith nominated Wilcox and said she is beyond compare.

"SHE HAS SO willingly jumped in with both feet, accomplishing so much. What a giver she has been - unselfishly, creatively and with stupendous life-changing results."

Wilcox also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and at the gift shop in the Museum of Nebraska Art.

Wilcox first taught English as a second language 30 years ago while working with Mexican children in East Los Angeles, Calif. In Kearney, she has been tutoring for about six years.

For the last 2½ years, Wilcox has been teaching Albanians Robert and Natasha Lapiri of Kearney how to speak and understand English. She also worked with three Japanese exchange students to teach them the language.

NATASHA LAPIRI said Wilcox is not only a teacher but has become a friend.

"Elane is a wonderful person. I love her," Natasha said. "She has a great character."

But Wilcox says she gets as much out of tutoring as she gives.

"It's the most satisfying, gratifying, fun thing that I have done. Although Habitat was a lot of fun, too," she said.

Wilcox said she almost fell over when she learned of her honor.

"To be given an honor when you're doing something that's a barrel of fun doesn't make a bit of sense," she said. "To me, to help people communicate in the country they live in is such an exciting experience. The whole thing is a blast."

e-mail to:

kim.schmidt@kearneyhub.com