Early Childhood Literacy Expert Provides Summit 2020 Keynote

Early Childhood Literacy Expert Provides Summit 2020 Keynote

 The Literacy Center's Annual Community Literacy Summit, Ready to Read, Ready to Succeed: Developing Literacy Birth to Five, will be held on Friday, February 28, 2020 from 7:30 am- 2:00 pm at Grand Valley State University's Eberhard Center. Tickets are available at www.literacycenterwm.org/summit2020

The Literacy Center's staff and Summit planning committee spent many, many hours researching keynote speakers for our 2020 Summit. One name (well, more like one TEDx Talk) rose above the rest. Dr. Keisha Siriboe impressed everyone with her dynamic presentation style, and her depth of knowledge on early childhood literacy and parent-child reading aloud. 

Now I Can Communicate Better At Work

Now I Can Communicate Better At Work

Guest Blogger: Rebekah Ewing, Literacy Coordinator

Last week, we celebrated with Pedro de Ingunza Aguilar as he graduated from our Adult Tutoring Program. After just eight months of working alongside his tutor, Julie Gendler, Pedro reached the 9th grade reading level! He reports that now he can communicate better at work, pronounce words better, and understand what people say.

Now I Can: Access More Resources

Now I Can: Access More Resources

Guest Blogger: Carrie Roper, IET Coordinator

Rosa Chen originally came to the Literacy Center for help with her English language skills. She quickly discovered, however, that we had many additional resources to help her pursue her goals.

Now I Can Practice Phlebotomy: Zina’s Story [Continued]

Now I Can Practice Phlebotomy: Zina’s Story [Continued]

Guest Blogger: Chad Patton, Director of the Literacy Center's Customized Workplace English program and Zina's career coach. 

Sitting down for her interview, Zina shows off her new badge from Spectrum Health.

“When I got my badge, [my sons] were so excited. They were kissing it.”

When we last reported on Zina, she was attending Kent ISD’s Beckwith Adult Education with the long-term goal of becoming a nurse. She was doing all of this while raising her two sons with her husband and providing childcare at her sons’ school.

Today, Zina is excited to talk about her accomplishments. As of late, she has many. She is now a mother of three, she has a new certification, and she has a new job.

The Literacy Center Honored with Governor’s Service Award

The Literacy Center Honored with Governor’s Service Award

The Literacy Center of West Michigan received the Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding National Service Program for its work in improving adult literacy through its Family Literacy program. The award was presented to the Literacy Center of West Michigan by Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission at a ceremony on Thursday, September 5 at the Detroit Opera House.  

Now I Can Give Back to My Community: Charles' Story

Now I Can Give Back to My Community: Charles' Story

Guest blogger: Emilio Nieto, Literacy Center’s Recruitment and Retention Specialist and Class Instructor

Charles came to the Literacy Center of West Michigan to improve his reading and writing skills. In his early career, Charles was skilled in electronic and computer work. Despite having difficulty reading manuals, he figured out how to do the work by trial and error. This allowed him to mask his difficulties with reading.

Now I Can Open a Restaurant: Fatos & Apo's Story

Now I Can Open a Restaurant: Fatos & Apo's Story

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.

Larry and Coromoto: New Language, New City

Larry and Coromoto: New Language, New City

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.

Learner Writing: My Three Wishes

Learner Writing: My Three Wishes

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.

Tutor Spotlight: Marielena Huerta

Tutor Spotlight: Marielena Huerta

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. 

Tutor Spotlight: Emmalee Anderson

Tutor Spotlight: Emmalee Anderson

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.

Learner Writing: The Garden

Learner Writing: The Garden

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.

Staff Tutor Spotlight: Laurie Celebrates 25 Years

Staff Tutor Spotlight: Laurie Celebrates 25 Years

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.

Supplementary Material: It's a Matter of Fact

Supplementary Material: It's a Matter of Fact

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.