Their first conversation, using that term quite loosely, was via a very brief telephone call in February of 2002. Kyung Lee, a long-time resident of Plainview, was on a two-year waiting list to receive tutoring in English as a second language.

Joe Cupolo, a resident of Nesconset, had just completed a whirlwind program offered by the Nassau County Chapter of the Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) to tutor students in English. The difficulty in that initial conversation between these two culturally different gentlemen was that Lee spoke little English, except for "I don't understand," and Joe spoke not a word of Korean, Lee 's native language. But somehow, with the aid of an administrator from LVA, the two arranged to meet at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library to address the need to enable Lee to read, write, understand and speak English.

Lee was a highly educated man who previously worked in a high position within the South Korean government, but relocated to the United States to provide his wife and two children a more prosperous and opportunity-filled life. Lee is an accomplished jazz musician, knowledgeable about world literature and politics, very mechanically inclined, has owned and managed restaurants and has a tremendous desire to succeed, as both a person and as a husband and father. But for the 11 years that Lee has resided in the United States, there was one almost insurmountable barrier to his success: he couldn't write or read English very well and he could understand or speak English barely at all.

He was a highly intelligent and resourceful man in, what may have seemed to others, an illiterate's body. And that was the initial impression that LVA tutor Cupolo received on his first meeting with Lee. After administering a standard New York State placement test to Lee on that first night, Cupolo had second and third thoughts on how he was ever going to even be able to communicate with Lee, much less teach him English. But from that first Tuesday night meeting, the two continued to meet in small areas, alcoves, nooks and crannies within the spacious confines of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library.

The library and its resources offered a perfect setting for the two, and as weeks went on Lee became more comfortable in a place that weeks before he would never have thought of entering. Lee and Cupolo were able to utilize books and newspapers in the "easy reading" section that were designed predominantly for people with literacy difficulties but were adaptable to helping Lee with his English. The library's vast computer section was an asset, as it offered online opportunities for Lee and Cupolo to explore web sites on U.S. history, U.S. government, and sample questions taken from the U.S. citizenship test. In addition, as Lee's interest was piqued about the American Revolution, he was able to explore videos on that topic in the media center and learned he could take them home and watch them over and over.

In late April, Lee showed Cupolo a letter from the U.S. Immigration Service indicating that Kyung could apply for U.S. citizenship. Cupolo thought that was a great idea, but Lee laughed and tried to communicate that he could never pass the application process and the required oral and written examinations. Eventually, after much fractured deliberation back and forth, the two agreed that they would set a goal to have Lee becomes a U.S. citizen.

Somewhat miraculously, on November 22, Lee raised his right hand and took the oath that made him a citizen of the United States. The transformation within Lee from that uncomfortable February evening to that proud November morning is not only a miracle, but also an acclamation of the measure of this man. He didn't just need to learn everything there is to know about the United States in an extremely short period of time, but he had to learn it while learning it in English. Along the way, Lee became more comfortable speaking to his neighbors, merchants within the Plainview community, and even the staff at the library.

The attainment of U.S. citizenship was just one more step along the way for the "Americanization" of Lee. There are more barriers to overcome, more goals to achieve, and more lessons to be had. And if you ever want to see one in the making, stop by on any Tuesday night at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library to see two men who lead and have emanated from two totally different lives working to make something good happen.