Fatos, Apo, and their two sons moved to the United States from Istanbul. Before coming here, Fatos and Apo were business partners in their home country. Given her experience as a business owner, Fatos was able to quickly spot a need in West Michigan’s business community.

“When I came to here… I did not see that a restaurant had fresh and homemade food.”

Together, they began to design their restaurant and café: Café de Miro. However, they faced a few barriers.

“I can’t open one of these stores,” Fatos says, “because I don’t speak English too well.” That’s when Fatos and Apo came to the Literacy Center.

Written by Jennifer Summers, Customized Workplace English Coordinator

When Larry and Coromoto visited the U.S. in 2017, they planned to stay for 15 days. However, the instability in their home country of Venezuela was worsening by the day, and their son, a doctor who had been practicing medicine here for 20 years, persuaded them to stay in Grand Rapids.

Salvador Geron wrote this article for our Spring 2019 edition of The Reader, our learner/tutor newsletter. Salvador and his tutor, Gerri, have been working together since October 2018.

If I could have three wishes they would be the following:

For my 1st wish is that poverty would disappear in the world, because I see people who have nothing to eat.

My 2nd wish would be to remove the hatred people have about the differences of races. People should be able to see each other regardless of the color of their skin, and help each other.

Interviewed by: Carrie Roper, Literacy Coordinator

 Marielena Huerta is a tutor who is also serving as an AmeriCorps member through the Literacy Center's Family Literacy program. Her parents were originally from Mexico, so she understands the challenges adults face as they learn English. Marielena attended college at Aquinas, where she majored in Community Leadership and Interpretation. 

Interviewed by: Thomas Rodgers, Family Literacy Coordinator 

"We've Impacted Each Other's Lives"

Emmalee Anderson has been a tutor with the Literacy Center of West Michigan since July 2018. She first heard about the opportunity during a presentation from the Lieracy Center at her firm, McShane & Bowie. She shared her experiences with her learner, Margoth, in an interview with her literacy coordinator.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do?

I am a paralegal with a law firm. I graduated from Grand Valley with a minor in Spanish and always had a love of languages. I also love to bake and that’s something Margoth and I both do. We bring each other treats. I like traveling, too. My husband and I recently went to Italy. I have dual citizenship and a lot of family in Australia.

By Olivia Montero, a recent graduate from our Adult Tutoring Program. She and her tutor, Tim Bolema, worked together from May 2017 until she graduated in August 2018. Olivia wrote this story for our Fall 2018 edition of The Reader, our newsletter of learner writing. 

I recently became interested in eating healthy foods. I have been thinking of having a garden. Then a friend told me about a place where there is a community garden sponsored by church. I was able to rent a small plot. I was very excited because I have a garden of my own.

A special thanks to our friends at Art Peers for producing the Spellebration 2019 honoree tribute video. 

Interviewed by: Katherine Payne, Literacy Coordinator

Laurie Zarzecki Emelander is the Finance Director at the Literacy Center of West Michigan, and recently celebrated 25 years with the organization. Laurie has tutored for the past 4 years and spoke with Katherine Payne, Literacy Coordinator, about her experiences.

A Matter of Fact Series

Blogger: Queyonna Hunt (Literacy Coordinator)

It’s been a month of busy energy here at the Literacy Center. We've been basking in the warming weather and enjoying the materials that just popped onto the shelves in our Tutor Library--an amazing eruption of Non-Fiction!

We are delighted to introduce to you this month's Featured Supplementary Resource that is literally a matter of fact!

With a fitting name, the Fact Matters series helps develop learners' foundational knowledge through the topics they will encounter in their science, social studies, and art texts. The best part? There are so many accessible titles in this series.

Blogger: Carrie Roper, Literacy Coordinator

Monika Skripal’s motivation for practicing her English language skills always comes back to one thing: family. As the mother of two young daughters, Monika is using her English daily to advocate for their needs and to support their education. In fact, it was through their school – West Godwin Elementary – that Monika first heard about the parent-focused English classes offered through the Literacy Center’s Family Literacy Program.

Bloggers: Thomas Rodgers (Family Literacy Coordinator) and Queyonna Hunt (Literacy Coordinator)

Does your learner have a voracious appetite for knowledge that is difficult to quench?

For some first-time tutors, coming up with lessons that consistently engage learners' literacy goals can feel like a daunting task. With so many available resources, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

This is why we decided to showcase Cambridge University Press's high-interest, real-life topic series, Ventures.  At its core, Ventures is a five-level, standards-based English language learning series for adults.

Interview: Queyonna Hunt (Literacy Coordinator)

Jean Buys has been a tutor with us since 2015 and has worked alongside her current learner, Kim Thi Le, since September. Jean is a veteran who served in the Air Force, Army, and National Guard. Jean now spends her time working as a career and life coach while taking care of her family.

 How did you get involved with the Literacy Center?

My mom instilled the love of reading in me at a young age. Every month I would get a Dr. Seuss book in the mail. She'd call me in from outside and together we’d read the book. Also, my mother was as a tutor [at the Literacy Center]. 

It was during the Literacy Center’s annual picnic that I'd get to meet my mother’s learners and their families. It was like a small seed that began growing inside me after the second and third picnic. I wanted to get involved.

Blogger: Carrie Roper (Literacy Coordinator)

Are you stuck in a rut with your tutoring? 

Are you looking for more activity ideas, teaching strategies, or even a refresher on best practices for tutoring? Look no further than the reference book LITSTART: Strategies for Adult Literacy and ESL Tutors. 

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do?

I’m originally from Grant, a small farming community north of Grand Rapids, but GR has been home for almost a decade. I work in marketing and advertising.

What drew you to the mission of the Literacy Center?

Libby Crabb Wahlstrom [Literacy Center Development Director] was the first person to introduce me to the Literacy Center. We are close friends, and when she told me about the organization, I was floored. I spent a month in Rome during college, and I know how hard that was to navigate. I can’t imagine not being able to read while still performing a job or navigating a city. I also loved that the Literacy Center serves adult learners. Don’t get me wrong, kids are important, but there are so few programs for adults.

 Blogger: Carrie Roper (Literacy Coordinator)

Christopher Helgeson is a software developer who has been working alongside Saw-Sa-Nay, a native of Myanmar, since October of 2017. With Christopher’s guidance, Saw is making significant progress in his listening and conversation skills. Just as importantly, the two have had a meaningful exchange of cultural ideas and experiences.