Tutor Sally Iadarola and her student Marcela had their last session in May. Marcela achieved her goals and has completed her Literacy Council ESL program. Congratulations, Marcela and Sally. Thank you for being so dedicated.
Congratulations to Usman A., who passed the ASVAB in May. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success in the military. It is administered annually to more than one million military applicants, high school, and post-secondary students.
Usman studied hard, meeting with his tutor, Nancy, twice a week — in person and on Zoom. Determined to pass the test, Usman practiced in his free time using Khan Academy content, Quizlet, and books he borrowed from the library. He is now preparing to enlist with the U.S. Army. Way to go, Usman! Thank you, Nancy!
Happy summer —
We have some wonderful student news to share this month. Usman, Marcela, Sherrie, and Sonye have all achieved significant goals, and we are so proud of them! Hooray for their outstanding tutors too! Please read our What’s New section for an update on all things AACLC.
In our community this month … Celebrate Annapolis Juneteenth
Annapolis will celebrate Juneteenth with a Gala, Parade, and Festival from June 16 – 17. Learn more about what is planned and how to participate at theannapolisjuneteenth.org.
We try to keep our Community Resources page up to date. Check it out HERE.
Thank you for caring about local adult literacy & education,
Jane
Jane Seiss, Executive DirectorAnne Arundel County Literacy Council
Anne Arundel County, MD – May 25, 2023 – The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council a $5,000 grant to support adult literacy in our communities. This local grant is a part of the Foundation’s largest, one-day literacy donation of more than $13 million throughout the 47 states in which Dollar General operates to support adult, family, and summer literacy programs.
“It is a joy to celebrate this historic grant announcement during our 30th anniversary year,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “For three decades, DGLF’s investment in community programs has created meaningful access to literacy skills for adults, children, and families alike and exemplified Dollar General’s mission of Serving Others. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity and access to a quality education, and we look forward to seeing these literacy grants inspire reading and build brighter futures.”
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports organizations that increase access to educational programming, stimulate and enable innovation in the delivery of educational instruction and inspire a love of reading. Each year, DGLF awards funds to nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs. The Foundation also offers a student referral program for individuals interested in learning how to read, speak English, or prepare for the high school equivalency exam. Referrals to a local organization that provides free literacy services are available online here or through referral cards found in the Learn to Read brochures that are available at the cash register of every Dollar General store.
About Anne Arundel County Literacy Council
The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free one-on-one tutoring to low-income adults and out-of-school youth (18 and over) who seek to improve their lives by learning to read, earning a diploma, or learning to speak English. We provide free assessments and materials to our students, and all our tutors are volunteers. Students and tutors meet for lessons at local libraries. We have been helping adults with literacy in Anne Arundel County since 1977. There are more than 200 active volunteers in our membership, and they collectively donate 13,000+ hours of their time in our communities every year.
About the Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $233 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 19.3 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma, or English proficiency. Each year, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation provides financial support to schools, nonprofit organizations, and libraries within a 15-mile radius of Dollar General stores and distribution centers. To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation or apply for a literacy grant, visit www.dgliteracy.org.
How Low Literacy Affects the Ability to Perform Daily Tasks
According to ProLiteracy, there are 43 million adults who struggle to read beyond a third-grade level. This brief article describes what that means in life and how it can impact the ability to read medicine bottles, instructions on a voting ballot, and materials that children bring home from school.
The AACLC’s programs address adult literacy needs in Anne Arundel County. To see what literacy looks like in our communities, Maryland, and surrounding areas, visit the Barbara Bush Foundation’s Literacy Gap Map.
The following article was submitted by ESL Tutor and Trainer Sandy Deeds. She has been working with her student, Sylvia for four years. Natalie and her student Sophia are also a long-term tutor-student match.
March 16, 2023, a crisp cool sunny day, offered the perfect opportunity for two tutors and two ESL students who have been working together for some time, to enjoy a day in Washington, DC. The purpose of our trip was to enjoy time together, experience riding the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) train, and converse in English while taking in a few attractions in Washington, DC. Traveling by train was easy and convenient. We walked from Union Station to the US Botanic Garden. Along the way, we saw and heard the bells ringing in the tower of Taft Memorial Carillon. Our visit to the botanic garden included seeing plants and flowers from all over the world from the deserts of Africa to the tropics of South America.
We ventured toward the Library of Congress and
witnessed the stone and metal restoration currently taking place at the U.S. Capitol. Then we visited the U.S. Supreme Court and admired all the portraits, photographs, and sculptures of past and present U.S. Supreme Court justices.
We concluded our adventure with lunch at a local grille discussing everything we saw. We enjoyed a carefree ride back home on the MARC train. This outing was an adventurous exception to the normal tutor/student session.
Our next adventure will include a trip to a local Korean market and lunch at a Korean restaurant.
Sylvia, Natalie, Sandy, and Sophia at the United States Botanic Garden in DC
We worked with a wonderful group of new tutors on March 25 at our spring training workshop. Thank you for joining us, and welcome to the AACLC team! We had a successful session thanks to our trainers, volunteers, and the amazing staff at Woods Memorial Church. Woods donated its Fellowship Hall and classroom space for the training event.
The Good Time Gang Donates Diapers to Literacy Council Students & Partners
The Literacy Council’s partners, Chrysalis House and the Annapolis Family Support Center were selected to receive diapers donated through a March 11 Diaper Drive in Gambrills. “GTGGives” — also known as the Good Time Gang — organized and sponsored the drive. So many diapers were donated that we were able to give some to a local nonprofit, Small City Big Dreams Annapolis (diapers were delivered to families), and the Baby Pantry at Discoveries: The Library at the Mall. Thanks to the Good Time Gang and to our volunteers who donated diapers!
Happy National Volunteer Month! Thank you, volunteers, for your generous work with the Literacy Council and in Anne Arundel County. We couldn’t do this without you.
Thanks in part to the dedication of AACLC volunteers, so far this fiscal year, our students are making great progress toward their goals. Here’s some of the news we’ve heard from tutors and students since our fiscal year began last June —
- Six students have earned high school diplomas.
- One obtained U.S. citizenship.
- Eleven students got new or better jobs.
- Nineteen students have completed a level in their curriculum.
- Eighteen students improved their employability skills.
- Twenty ESL students improved their ability to communicate in English.
- Many students are reading books, participating in a child’s education, or achieving other important personal goals.
Congratulations, students & tutors!
We try to keep our Community Resources page up to date. Check it out HERE.
Many thanks,
Jane
Jane Seiss, Executive DirectorAnne Arundel County Literacy Council
More than 36 million adults in the United States lack basic literacy skills. In fact, according to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, 54% of adults struggle to read, write, and comprehend, impacting their daily lives.
“This crisis affects all of us — lying at the core of the multigenerational cycles of poverty, poor health, and low educational attainment that impact our families, businesses, communities, and our nation as a whole” — the Barbara Bush Foundation.
The AACLC’s programs address adult literacy needs in Anne Arundel County. To see what literacy looks like in our communities, Maryland, and surrounding areas, visit the Barbara Bush Foundation’s Literacy Gap Map.
Low Literacy Costs Money!
“Adult literacy can change everything.” We could save an estimated $106 – $238 billion a year in healthcare costs if we eliminated low adult literacy in the United States. Get more facts on adult literacy at https://www.proliteracy.org/
