Bernice Fields recently received the Employee of the Year Award from the Summerville Mayor's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities. Fields is a student with Trident Literacy Association.

Bernice Fields (right) accepts her Employee of the Year award from Kelly Rutherford of the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department during the Summerville Mayor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities 19th Annual Awards Luncheon on May 7. Fields , a French fry cook at the McDonald's restaurant on Trolley Road, rides her bike several miles each way to work, and is now helping train new employees. Fields is a Trident Literacy Association student in North Charleston.

To get to her job at McDonald's, Bernice Fields sometimes rides her bike in 23-degree weather. The journey is eight miles, round-trip, and she's made that trip for an entire year as of May 17, 2008. Why does she do it? Because she loves her job, and she has actually amazed herself to see that she could accomplish these personal and work goals every day. She also says that her job has helped her learn about her ability to solve problems, and has driven her to achieve more in her life.

Apparently, the McDonald's restaurant on Trolley Road in Summerville where she works agrees that Bernice "goes the extra mile" for her job, in more ways than one. Recently the company honored her as Employee of the Year, presenting her with a beautiful plaque at the Summerville Mayor's Committee on Employment of People with Disablities award ceremony held on May 7. Bernice is also a Trident Literacy Association student.

Bernice's job as French fry cook may look simple, she says, but it can be dangerous, "especially if it's not done right." Bernice had to learn to be fast because the restaurant uses a timer to cook the fries perfectly, but she also has to be as safe as possible. Even so, she has received burns a few times from the very hot cooking oil. Because of her ability to perform her job at such an advanced level, however, Bernice has been given the responsibility of training another employee how to cook fries. Another secret to Bernice's success as an employee is initiative--she does things without waiting to be told to do them; for example, she empties the trash and performs other necessary cleaning tasks without being asked.

Bernice said recently that when she first got on the job she was "nervous." After a while, however, she says, "I relaxed and did my job right." Now, she says, everybody tells her what a good worker she is-and she has an award to prove it! Her fellow Trident Literacy students are very proud of Bernice, and excited about her recognition.

PLEASE NOTE: This article was written by Trident Literacy Association student Cat Williams.

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The mission of Trident Literacy Association is to increase literacy in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties by offering instruction, using a self- paced, individualized curriculum, in reading, writing, mathematics, English as a Second Language, GED Preparation, and basic computer use.