Julius Alston has been working with CEF’s Chapel Hill office since February of this year, and is just weeks away from graduating Opportunity Class. Mike Wood teaches the Saturday class and connected Julius to literacy tutoring that he offers through Orange County Literacy Council (OCLC), helping Julius turn obstacle into opportunity. Please enjoy Julius’ poem, a tribute to Mike Wood and the work they are both doing through CEF and OCLC.
Mr. Mike
By: Julius Alston
Mr. Mike is a person
That some of you may know
But he’s not the same person
He was a long time ago
He’s looking towards the future now
And not his past
He now holds a pen
Instead of a glass
This I know and I’m the one to tell
Because he is the one that’s teaching me
To read, to write and to spell
He doesn’t brag about it
And he doesn’t boast
But the old Mike is history now
Little more than a ghost
When Mike get tired now
He can go to his home
Not like when he was at the shelter
Now he’s got a place of his own
So listen to Mr Mike now
And you can do it too
He’ll have you doing things
You never dreamed you could do
I got to go now
Back to Mr Mike’s class
Because I want to do more with my future
Than I did with my past
I am so proud of Julius because he has come a long way , I really appreciate the effort that everyone has put toward helping Julius to get where he is today . Thank all of the staff
I’m so proud of Julius Alston, because I knew him when he was younger,and he was truly a swinger back in those days. But now he has become such an inspiration to so many people including myself,and to see how far he has come. Keep up the good work ,and GOD bless you!