Sharon has worked at the Tulsa ETL office for two and a half years. Her duties include: filing, labeling notebooks, and working on the internet with her new computer.

"My favorite part of the job is being around people and working," says Sharon.

Sharon is exemplary of the independence ETL promotes. "I just bought a house of my own. I was tired of paying rent," says Sharon, smiling.

Sharon also helps ETL interview new teachers. By seeing how the candidates respond to her physical challenge, she has a good sense of who would work well with ETL consumers.

"When I first came to ETL, I immediately trusted Masoud. From the way he talked and his approach, he was not demanding but respectful," says Sharon.

Sharon admits to being shy in the past, but ETL teaches that it is OK to have feelings and to sit down and talk to work them out.

"Since coming to ETL, my goals are different than they used to be. I think more positively about things. A positive outlook is more of a foundation than it used to be." says Sharon.