Our thanks to the Rotary Club of Annapolis for its Crab Feast Grant! The funds the club donated to the Literacy Council will help pay for ESL materials for students in Annapolis.
On March 25, we will host a New Tutor Training Workshop for trainees interested in working with literacy, ESL, math, and high school equivalency students. The session will happen at Woods Church in Severna Park from 8:30 am until about 3 pm. Space is limited. Please email Jane to inquire about attending.
Welcome, 2023! We are already looking forward to what this year holds for our students, volunteers, and communities.
In 2022, our volunteers continued their great work, and students accomplished so much. Whether registering to vote and voting for the first time, reading a book to a child, improving English language skills, getting a new job, or earning a high school diploma, our students achieved an impressive range of goals…
Some highlights:
- Five students earned high school diplomas in 2022.
- One student passed the U.S. citizenship test.
- One student got her nursing license.
- Students continued or started their studies at AACC.
- Several students made a healthy lifestyle change.
- Students continued registering to vote and have voted.
- Students worked on resumes and interviewing skills, then sought new jobs and were hired. Since our fiscal year began on June 1, six students have gotten new or better jobs!
- Many students got library cards and began using them.
- Several ESL students improved their ability to communicate in English through conversation, email, and texting.
- Many students increased confidence in their abilities, gained consumer skills, or improved employability skills.
Our team is also celebrating these volunteer milestones:
- 47 new tutors joined us in 2022.
- We are tutoring at the Jennifer Road Detention Center and the Ordnance Road Correctional Center.
- Collectively, our volunteers donated more than 13,000 hours in our communities last year.
Congratulations, all!
Thank you for making a difference in Anne Arundel County.
Happy New Year,
Jane Seiss, Executive DirectorAnne Arundel County Literacy Council
ESL student Qamar is ready to begin 2023 with Challenger 5. His goals include improving his writing in English.
AA County Partnership Warm Line
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We thank the Nora Roberts Foundation for its continued support of adult literacy in Anne Arundel County. The AACLC received a $6,000 grant from the Foundation earlier this month. The Nora Roberts Foundation’s contributions to our work over the years have helped hundreds of low-income men and women pursue their educational goals and improve their lives and those of their families.
The Literacy Council has also just received a grant of $2,350 to purchase books for our students! With this generous gift, the Wish You Well Foundation has helped fund this year’s book budget.
The Wish You Well Foundation‘s mission is to support adult and family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs. The Foundation has donated to hundreds of organizations, including the AACLC!
We at the Literacy Council are grateful to you for participating in another successful year of adult education in Anne Arundel County. Thank you for tutoring, volunteering, and supporting our work!
Happy holidays,
P.S. We are always accepting new students. Find out more about our programs on our website or inquire at 410-269-4419.
Thank you for Your Giving Tuesday Support
Our supporters helped raise $4,370 on Giving Tuesday to improve adult literacy in Anne Arundel County!
This generosity will provide free books, tutoring, and assessments for low-income adults. Goals achieved include high school diplomas, better-paying jobs, English language skills, and improved quality of life for our students and their families.
Thank you!
Literacy Council Featured at Anne Arundel Women Giving Together November Webinar
We had the honor of speaking at the AAWGT’s November 9 education event, where we shared about local literacy rates and how the AACLC addresses adult education needs here at home. See a follow-up article on AAWGT’s website. Thank you, AAWGT!
High school graduate Jessica with her tutors, John and Ruth, are pictured left to right above.
Anne Arundel Community College hosted its first high school graduation ceremony since 2019 on October 27. Three of our students walked the stage that evening and received their diplomas. A cheering group of Literacy Council tutors and staff joined in the moving celebration. The students and families were thrilled!
Jessica Whitehead was among the Literacy Council students honored at the ceremony. “I am very grateful to the Literacy Council and especially to my tutors, Ruth Hartcorn and John Wetzel, for their guidance in helping me complete the NEDP program and receive my high school diploma,” she recently said. “I am thankful to my NEDP counselor Susan Peters. This is a dream come true both for me and my family.”
Five Literacy Council students have earned their high school diplomas so far this calendar year through the GED or the NEDP (National External Diploma Program). Congratulations to all of them, and much gratitude to their wonderful tutors!
AACLC student and high school graduate Rosalyn, with some of her Literacy Council tutors
Literacy Council students, tutors, and staff recently celebrated local adult high school diploma graduates at an Anne Arundel Community College ceremony. It was a meaningful, joyous occasion for all involved. We’re sharing some photos in this month’s Success Stories.
#GivingTuesday is November 29! If you haven’t submitted your AACLC membership donation yet and would like to, this is a great opportunity. You can donate on the AACLC website or by check.
Thank you for being part of the Literacy Council team of volunteers and supporters — we are thankful for all you do.
Happy Thanksgiving,
P.S. We are always accepting new students. Find out more about our programs on our website or inquire at 410-269-4419.
November 29, 2022
This year, please remember
the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council
on #GIVINGTUESDAY.
If you haven’t submitted your AACLC Membership donation and would like to, this is a great opportunity.
You can give through
OR
by check.
mail to: AACLC, P.O. Box 1303, Edgewater, MD 21037
Pictured left to right above are Diana and Beverley.
This feature was submitted by AACLC Tutor Diana Dinsick.
Well before the COVID lockdown, Glen Burnie resident Beverley Morris, now aged 70, took a courageous step. Having spoken only Jamaican patois for most of her life, she vowed to work on improving her English and reading skills. That’s when she and volunteer ESL tutor Diana Dinsick began regular meetings at the Glen Burnie Library. The duo was making progress — and then COVID struck. Tutoring sessions ground to a halt when local libraries restricted visitation. Come warm weather, though, Beverley and Diana found a solution. They set up soccer chairs in a grassy area behind the Glen Burnie library and made their own classroom. And when the library again opened to the public, Beverley was thrilled to resume a full schedule.
“I’m hungry for it,” she offers by way of explanation.
“Beverley is a trooper,” says Diana. “What I respect most about her is her thirst for education. She studies on her own and watches the news to keep informed on current affairs.”
Beverley has already learned new skills. She can text her loved ones and feels better equipped to handle everyday challenges such as medical appointments. And sometimes she surprises herself. Two years ago, upon becoming a new great-grandmother, Beverley decided she wanted to be able to read to her great-grandson. And at a recent tutoring session, Beverley picked up a children’s book. She read it aloud with very little assistance. After which, she looked up at Diana, a bemused expression on her face. “I’m reading!” she said.
Thank you for your support of our book fair! We raised about $8,000 for our adult tutoring programs in Anne Arundel County. These funds will make it possible for us to help low-income adults pursue their goals in literacy, math, diploma studies, ESL learning, and more. A tremendous team effort and lots of community support made the event a success.
Welcome, New Tutors!
We worked with a wonderful group of new tutors on October 15 at our training workshop. Thank you for joining us and welcome to the AACLC team! We couldn’t have done it without our trainers, volunteers, and the amazing staff at Woods Memorial Church. Woods donated its Fellowship Hall and classroom space for the training event.
With many thanks,
P.S. We are always accepting new students. Find out more about our programs at icanread.org or inquire at 410-269-4419.
