Anne Arundel County Literacy Council

Director’s Message: October 2020

October 3, 2020

Please join us on October 7, 8, and 9 for AACLC’s first-ever virtual art sale! Local artists and collectors have donated pieces that we will feature in an online catalog.

All proceeds will support our free tutoring programs.

Conversations in Color goes live on Wednesday, October 7 at www.icanread.org. Browse and buy art on a first-come, first-served basis.

Major thanks to our event sponsor Sandy Spring Bank!

Preview art now on our Facebook page and in our Instagram gallery.

After the sale, volunteers will locally and safely curbside deliver art.

A huge thank-you to all of our donors!

Jane Seiss New AACLC Executive Director

Sincerely,

Jane Seiss, Executive Director
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council
410-926-5797 (cell)
director@aaclc.org

Welcome To Our New Executive Director, Jane Seiss

September 16, 2020

Jane Seiss, Executive Director AACLC

Jane is a journalist by trade, an excellent communicator, and is well known and loved by all of you in her most recent role as tutor coordinator. She has integrity, passion for our cause, and a deep knowledge of the workings of our program. The Literacy Council will be well cared for with her leadership.

Director’s Message: Farewell and Congratulations

September 4, 2020

After much deliberation, I have decided to turn over my executive director duties to Jane Seiss on September 16th. Jane is a journalist by trade, an excellent communicator, and is well known and loved by all of you in her current role as tutor coordinator. She has integrity, passion for our cause, and deep knowledge of the workings of our program. The Literacy Council will be well cared for with her leadership.

I have also identified a tutor coordinator to take Jane’s place. Her name is Diana Larmore, and she is interested in working with Jane to write and submit grants, which will be very helpful!

Tom and I will miss you, both as friends and as colleagues. Your passion for improving adult literacy in our community, your outstanding support for our students and tutors, and your generous sharing of time, talents, and funds have helped to bring us to where we are today.

Since I began serving as executive director in 2012, we have successfully expanded our services beyond basic literacy to now include math, GED, NEDP, ESL, and ASVAB instruction. The number of students served has also expanded from 27 in 2011, to 390 this past year. This would not be possible without the tremendous skills/talents, hard work, dedication, and support from supporters such as you, our volunteers, staff, and our outstanding AACLC executive board of directors. Also, during this time, my husband Tom has served on the board and worked tirelessly by my side to expand our free adult literacy and math services in Anne Arundel County.

Thank you for improving so many lives through literacy (and math!) these past 8 years. Tom and I have been blessed by each one of you. We will miss you and hope you will stay in touch by email (lisavernon39@gmail.com), by cell phone (301-523-6750), and/or by connecting with me through LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/lisavernon1).

In friendship,

AACLC Executive Director Lisa Vernon Lisa Vernon, executive director
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council
301-523-6750 (cell)
director@aaclc.org

Literacy is Empowerment: Spotlight on Tutor Stan Milesky

June 22, 2020

Stan Milesky and his student Ulysees lifelong friendship and learning bonds were formed twenty years ago and remain strong today. “Ulysees and I are good friends and still read together – twenty years this month. He is about to move back to South Carolina and we will continue to correspond via Zoom.”

In addition to tutoring, Stan served on the Anne Arundel Literacy Council’s Executive Board as President and Vice-President for 10 years and has enthusiastically supported the Council’s work for the past 2 decades.

“The memories of my association with the Council are among the things in my life that continue to give me joy and inspire me to continue to find a way to help. The ability to read is the starting point for engagement with our larger world. It is mind-boggling to me that so many people among us are unable to read at all, or are effectively illiterate and unable to grow, explore, and take advantage of the wondrous things our world and our time has to offer; to their own best advantage and as they otherwise might. Literacy is empowerment.”

To read more about Ulysses and his story, CLICK HERE.

Illiteracy To Voting Citizen: Ulysses’s Story

June 22, 2020

On November 4th, 2008, Ulysses Martin voted for the first time in his life. Ulysses was 57 years old. Ulysses and I had been partners in a student and tutor pairing for the past several years.

While Ulysees’ reading skills had grown much since he made the decision to learn to read, nothing so signified how much he had progressed as voting in his first presidential election. With that single act, he crossed over barriers, both real and imagined, and signaled to himself and the world around him that he had achieved something important, something long hoped for, something precious that he earned for himself and no one could take from him.

If Ulysses’ reading skills are still developing, his knowledge of world affairs, his interests, and his opinions were those of a mature 57-year-old man. We discussed and debated the campaign and news items of interest and importance. As the campaign progressed we discussed voter registration.

Ulysees was not a registered voter. He had never been a registered voter. If you cannot read, you are often excluded from many of the things people who read take for granted. Registering to vote became a part of our reading lessons and getting that first voter registration card a mark of special achievement. Voting in the election itself became the next great mountain waiting to be climbed and conquered.

After voting, we went to breakfast, and Ulysees told me, “We did it, our vote counted!” I believe at some level, that remark revealed a deeper, more fundamental connection to a community that he has often viewed from afar. In registering to vote and voting, Ulysees closed that gap and rightfully took a place in his community that he had long hoped for.

Tutor Stan Milesky

AACLC’s First Virtual Tutor Training Class

June 18, 2020

In April and May, the Literacy Council trained twenty-seven new volunteers from around the country to be virtual tutors for our students! These new volunteers have incredible teaching experience and enjoy virtual tutoring.

Final year med/law students, educators, and experienced tutors from NY, NJ, PA, WA, CA, MI, TX, and OH have volunteered to virtually instruct Literacy Council students seeking help. It is inspiring and encouraging to see such a large outpouring of kindness and generosity from across the U.S. towards our students.

Want to be a volunteer tutor? CLICK HERE for more information.

AACLC Endorsement Letter from Governor’s Council

June 15, 2020

We were so proud to receive this letter of endorsement from Jeffry W. Ferguson. He is chairman of the GED Subgroup of the Maryland Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council. It shows support for our important work.

Congratulations to Pernell Matthews!

June 11, 2020

“I am pleased to report that Pernell Matthews passed the military ASVAB test today with a 34% improvement on his prior score! He now can enlist in his choice of all services and his score opens 5 potential service vocational training programs. Neither of us wants to close the match until we see what his next step will be and if I can help him with his training or enrolling in the Armed Forces University.

I have never had such a hard-working and focused student. He is a gift.”

Tutor Susann Felton

Executive Director’s Message June 2020

June 11, 2020

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Our nation mourns the brutal murder of an unarmed black man at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. I recommit myself and the Literacy Council to promoting racial equity and justice. We will continue to work hard to address challenges disproportionately affecting Black and other marginalized county residents through our free reading, writing, math, GED, and English tutoring program for low-income adults, and we welcome your feedback on how we can do better.

Sincerely,