Post on 09-Apr-2018
transcript
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
1/10
ARLINGTON
READS
Live, Learn, Connect, Grow
Arlington, Texas
December2010
Arlington Reads is grate-ful to its partner Marchof Dimes, whose generousdonation of 2,000 books has
reached many students. March
of Dimes continues to sup-
port Arlington Reads through
a $500 grant, which has been
used to purchase copies of
Baby Basics, given to moth-
ers attending Life Through
Literacy classes.
On August 14, 2010, ArlingtonReads hosted its inaugural 5Kwalk/run, Book It for Literacy. Ninety-
eight racers of all ages competed in
the event, held at the beautiful River
Legacy Park in north Arlington. The
race was made possible by our part-
Book It for Literacy
March of Dimes
Partnership
Above: Venture High School student
Andrea Aguilar learns the importance
of reading to her baby, Genesis Garcia,in her Life Through Literacy class.
ners, Arlingtons Departments of
Parks and Recreation and Police an
Fire, and by the generous donations
given to us by The Runner, Whole
Foods, and Costco. Mark your calen
dars for our 2nd annual 5K race on
August 13, 2011.
in this issue
Our Impact...........................2
Minhs Story.........................3
Partners for WorkplaceLiteracy.................................3
Saving Lives throughLiteracy.............................4
Giving Back to Arlington........5
In the Wordsof our Students....................5
VISTAs in Serviceto Arlington..........................6
Life at Arlington Reads..........7
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
2/10
TolearnmoreaboutArlingtonReads,call817275332
Arlington Reads owes its success to the dedicaon of its students, vo
unteers, and community partners. In the scal year 2010, we made t
following impact:
189 volunteersserved their community through Arlington Reads.
4,923 hourswere dedicatedto Arlington Reads by our volunteers.
1,340 studentsparcipated in Arlington Reads programs.
is the total number of hours our students and volunteersspentworking together.
ESL and Basic Literacy students advanced at least one levelinEnglish prociency.
147ESL and Basic Literacy studentsmet a literacy goal.83%of Learning Zone studentspassed to the next grade level.
of parents with children in Wee Reads say they have learnedsomething new.
3students passed the cizenship test.
3students got their GED, contribung $135,000 to Arlington annuall
5students obtained jobs.
families received free board books to help develop early childhooliteracy skills.
Arlington Reads offers thefollowing programs
to the community:
Adult Literacy
ESL and Basic Literacy
Citizenship Preparation
English Conversation Circles
Online GED
Youth Literacy
The Learning Zone
Fitnessistas
Readers Theater
Junior High Tutoring
Workplace Literacy
Texas Industry Specifc ESL
Computer Classes
Family Literacy
Life Through LiteracyWee Reads
Lee y Sers
Our Impact
When Rosaura Ambriz rst came to Arlington
Reads, she knew little English and had never
graduated from high school. My goals are to
speak, understand, write, and read English, sh
said.
Now, three years later, she speaks English sowell that family members in Minnesota rely on
her as an over-the-phone translator at the doc-
tors ofce and the supermarket.
Its different now, she says. I can help my
children with their homework.
11,763
100%
62
Meet Rosaura
Rosaura, with her daughter Dayana, who parcipa
in Readers Theater, the Learning Zone, and Fitness
2
110
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
3/10
orvisitourwebsiteatarl ingtonreads.org
3
Partners for
Workplace Literacy
With the generous support ofNorth Texas Future Fund andTexas Health Resources, Arlington
Reads has expanded its workplace
literacy programs into the commu-nity of Arlington. In February 2010,
Arlington Reads began teaching
English as a Second Language class-
es and Texas Industry Specic Eng-
lish as a Second Language classes to
staff members of Arlington Memo-
rial Hospital and Hyatt Place.
The classes, which reach 26
adults, teach basic literacy skills,
while concentrating on vocabulary
specic to their students work-
places. By focusing on job-oriented
English, Arlington Reads and its
partners hope to facilitate communi-
cation between employees and cus-
tomers. Once the program started
we realized we were getting so
much more, Preston Miller, Human
Resources Director for AMH, said.
[The participants] became more
engaged in the organization andsought out every available learning
opportunity. This program has given
the participants a passion for learn-
ing which cannot be recreated.
Results of a recent test mea-
suring English prociency show that
84% of students at Hyatt Place ad-
vanced at least one level. Arlington
Reads is grateful for the continued
support that NTFFs Vice President
Carl Hecht and Vice President of
Administration Valerie Hodges have
provided for its workplace literacy
initiatives.
Employees at Arlington Memorial Hospi-
tal study English aer work.
Minhs Story
Almost 238,000 adults in TarrantCounty cannot read English wellenough to follow a bus schedule or
read a story to their children. Minh
Nguyen is no longer one of theseadults.
For the past 16 years, Minh
has lived in Arlington, unable to spea
read, or write in English. Encouraged
by her husband and children, who
speak the language uently, Minh
enrolled in three English as a Second
Language classes at Arlington Reads.
When asked what has mo-
vated her to keep up her studies forthree years, Minh insists, If I learn, I
can help others. She speaks enthusi
cally about her Texas Industry Spec
English as a Second Language course
where she pracces the healthcare-
related terms that will help her reach
her long-term goal: to become a pa-
ent-intake coordinator at a hospital
More important, however, sh
says knowing English allows her tobeer care for her children. Because
her classes at Arlington Reads, Minh
not only able to read stories to her so
and daughter, ages 7 and 10, but she
can also help them with their home-
work. With this in mind, she laughs
easily when her children tell friends
that mommy goes to school, too.
Minh, reviewing vocabulary words.
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
4/10
Saving Lives
through Literacy
Clockwise, from le: VISTAs Kim
Tran (center) and Virginia Tran
(le) lead parenng and expec
teen moms in a song that teach
children vowel sounds; Life
Through Literacy student Melin
Flores pracces asking her daug
ter, Sophia, crical thinking que
ons about the ball shes playin
with; Kim (right) instructs mom
to idenfy the tle of a book
before reading it to their childr
Life Through Literacy founder Jo
Bruner (le) awards the ArlingtPublic Library with a $5,000 do
on from the Arlington North
Rotary Club and the Life Throug
Literacy Foundaon, to be used
to support Arlington Reads Life
Through Literacy classes.
Studies shows that more babiesdie each year in Arlington thanin almost any other city in Texas.
Arlington Reads has joined forces
with Arlington Independent School
District, local non-prot Life Through
Literacy, the Arlington North Rotary
Club, and Rotary District 5790 to
ght infant mortality.
Arlington Reads Life
Through Literacy program seeks to
counter one of the leading causes
of infant mortality -- poor mater-
nal health -- by educating new and
expecting teen moms about prenatal
care, healthy lifestyle choices, mater-
nity resources in the community, and
early childhood literacy. Reaching
more than 60 students in seven localhigh schools, Life Through Literacy
teaches students how to care for
their babies and create lasting bonds
through reading, singing, and playing.
Life Through Literacy founder
Joe Bruner sees the program as a way
to create productive families while
reducing the rate of infant mortality
and illiteracy.
Of all the issues facing our
city, he says, I cannot think of one
more serious than the potential loss
of life of a baby. The issue is forced
to become merely a statistic. We are
standing up for them.
The teens attending the pro-
gram speak of how much they have
learned. Christina Cruz, an expect-
ing mom and senior at Venture High
School, says, Point out the front,
cover, and spine of the books. These
are skills children need to learn before
school. I have learned the importance
of engaging both sides of the
brain and to read a book over
port the purchase of a laptop com
puter and LCD projector, used wh
conducting Life Through Literacy
classes in Arlington ISD high scho
Of all the issues facing
our city, I cannot thinkof one more serious tha
the potential loss of lifeof a baby. -- Joe Bruner
and over again for my baby
to learn. When asked if
they would recommend the
classes to others, 100 per-cent emphatically said yes.
Through the gener-
ous donations of Life
Through Literacy, Arling-
ton North Rotary Club and
Rotary District 5790, Arlington
Reads has been able to purchase cop-
ies of Baby Basics for each student
in the program. Funding from these
organizations has also helped sup-
4
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
5/10
Giving Back to Arlington
Volunteer ESL teacher SethBailey remembers a timewhen he spent long days in the li-
brary, enjoying the luxury of time
hat retirement offers. One day,
mid the silence of the library, heheard a distressed voice trying to
ommunicate in French. Fluent
n the language, Seth approached
he man to help, unaware that this
xperience would change his life.
Seth quickly learned that
he man and his wife had recently
mmigrated from West Africa,
having won a visa through the
ottery system. With no knowl-
dge of English, the couple faced
daily struggle to adjust to life
n Arlington. The experience of
eeing this couple burdened by
heir inability to communicate
with those around them motivated
Seth to volunteer with Arlington
Reads.
Seth describes teaching as
the best thing thats ever hap-
pened to him. In his classes, he
focuses on the practical applica-
tion of English. After teaching his
students to write their addresses
and telephone numbers, for ex-
ample, he asks them to ll out therelevant sections of a job applica-
tion. Seths goal as a teacher is to
help his students become indepen-
dent in everyday life and to impart
a love of reading and discovering
new things.
Arlington Reads lls a
great need for programs servicing
immigrants, Seth says. Pro-
gramming takes place with stu-
dents in mind. The students who
seek out Arlington Reads have the
will and drive to learn, they just
need a teacher.
The dedication Seth sees
in his students motivates him to
keep teaching. This is my call-
ing, he says, my gift back to the
community.
n the Words of our Students
Catherine,
just wanted to say thank you to you
and this program. While I have not
personally met you, I have met Yoko,and a few other people who have
made this journey so positive. I have
my own personal struggles with
feeling humiliated, having to get my
GED, and even having to confess to
my 14 year old, mom is not perfect!
t was very hard to tell my son, but
he is my biggest supporter (along
with my husband). I just wanted you
o know, that EVERYONE, I have
The following message was sent to Arlington Reads Workforce Literacy
Coordinator Catherine Wilson from a student in our GED program.
Seth Bailey (le) instructs his ESL students
Keep working, he said. You can do it.
come in contact with, through the
Arlington Reads program, so far,
has made me feel very comfortable,motivated, and good about the pro-
cess. Especially Richard, the com-
munication in his class as well as
the emails he sends, makes you (and
hopefully everyone in class) feel like
he not only wants you to succeed in
math, but to genuinely succeed pe-
riod. I appreciate his time, it means
alot. Just wanted to thank you, for
having such good people helping
with the program who dont make
you feel stupid or inferior, that wa
a huge concern of mine, but aftermeeting Yoko that frst day to sign
up, I felt her sincerity in wanting t
help me. Her enthusiasm in the or
entation class was wonderful! Eve
your emails, indicate the want
help everyone learn..... very refres
ing!
Thanks again! Maria
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
6/10
VISTAs in Service to Arlington
When Arlington Reads was rst estab-lished as the literacy branch of theArlington Public Library, it was staffed by
one AmeriCorps VISTA, or Volunteer in Ser-
vice to America. Today, Arlington Reads is
home to nine VISTAS, who have expandedits programming from one early childhood
literacy class to 13 programs, which span
youth, adult, family, and workplace literacy.
VISTA leader Kayce Green has spent
nearly two years dedicated to Arlington
Reads. Raised in Missouri, Kayce was drawn
to the opportunity to work with a literacy
organization by her desire to learn how to
best serve others. In college, she had worked
with refugees, teaching English as a Second
Language and preparing her students to sellitems at a farmers market.
At Arlington Reads, Kayce has
focused her attention on developing teen
and tween literacy programs. Through her
Junior High tutoring sessions and Readers
Theater program, she helps her students not
only build their reading and writing skills
but also gain self-condence. Its small
communities were helping, she says. By
helping young adults to become literate,
Arlington Reads is breaking the cycle of
poverty.
When Kayces secondyear of service ends in February,
she hopes to pursue the eld of
human rights. Education ties
so much into human rights, she
says. Often, ESL students get
taken advantage of because they
are scared, they dont speak Eng-
lish, and they arent citizens.
For now, Kayce is work-
ing to ensure that ArlingtonReads serves the community well
into the future. She hopes to
leave behind a math and sciencebased youth technology center,
where college and high school
students introduce junior high
students to the branches of
engineering. Arlington Reads is
thankful for her dedication to the
community of Arlington.
AmeriCorps VISTA is
the national service program
dedicated to ghting poverty. Fomore information, visit www.
americorps.gov.
VISTAs Kayce Green (far right) and
Rachel Foster (far le) pose with thei
Readers Theater students.
6
Right column, descending:
VISTA Catherine Wilson
Workplace Literacy
Coordinator
VISTA Kaley Horton
Learning Zone Coordinator
VISTA Kim Tran
Special Programs Coordinat
VISTA Rachel Foster
Learning Zone Coordinator
Center left: VISTA Cheirieamour Smith, Workplace Literacy Coordinator
Center column, descending: Yoko Matsumoto,Library Service Manager - Literacy, Glory Dalton, Programming Special
Mary Arnold,Literacy Coordinator (Not pictured: Ivonne Kieffer and Dyan Anderson, Programming Specialists)
Left column, descending:
VISTA Lori Frola
Public Relations Coordinator
VISTA Rebekah Welch
Volunteer and Student
Coordinator
VISTA Virginia Tran
Special Programs Coordinator
VISTA Kayce Green
VISTA Leader
Meet Our Staff
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
7/10
DONORS & SPONSORS
Friends of Arlington Reads
7
Arlington Reads literacy programs are funded enrely through grants and donaons. We would
like to sincerely thank all of our sponsors, donors, and partners, who make our work possible.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Arlington, TX
PARTNERS
Debbie Viragh
DADS Advisory FundSandra Brown
Life Through Literac
Arlington Unitarian
Universalist Church
St. Joseph the
Apostle Church
Joe Bruner
Libraries for Literacy
NTRLS
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
8/10
Above: VISTA Rachel Foster reads with herLearning Zone student Edwin Alvarado.
Right: Learning Zone student Kevin Palacios
pracces reading strategies with his tutor,
Quaneshala Johnson.
Le: ESL student Yanping Ling
(right) works with tutor Ryan Gal-
lagher to improve his speaking
skills.
Make a Difference!
8
Arlington Reads empowers children and adults to break the cycle of poverty and underachievement.
We need your support to connue our work. By becoming a volunteer, you can improve the lives of
others through the power of educaon. No previous teaching experience is required.
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
9/10
Above: In Life Through Literacy class, par-
ents pracce songs that their babies will
love to sing along to!
Right: Readers Theater parcipants Steve
Avila, Paola Cepeda, Luna Shqeir, and Aidee
Barajas perform the script they have wrien
for the book Peter Pan.
Other Ways to HelpIf tutoring is not for you, please consider giving in one of the following ways:
Purchase an item on our Amazon Wish List. Find the link at
arlingtonreads.org.
Become a sponsor or parcipantin our annual Book It for Literacy 5KRace and Fun Run.
Host a book drive at your church or workplace. We have bags avail-
able for collecon.
Did you have a favorite book as a child?Share it through donaon.
Challenge your friends on Facebookto pledge a small donaon on the
Arlington Reads Facebook page.
Donate online at arlingtonreads.org or call 817-275-3321.
The best part of this
opportunity is that Arli
ton Reads oers exibl
schedules and formats
the volunteer. You wan
to teach a small class?
They got you covered.You want to be a one-
on-one tutor? They can
get you set up with tha
too. I encourage you to
inquire.
-- Ryan Gallagher, ESL Tuto
8/7/2019 Arlington Reads 2010 Newsletter
10/10
Join Us!arlingtonreads.org
facebook.com/arlingtonreads
twier.com/ArlingtonReads
ickr.com/arlingtonreadstx
Yes! I support Arlington literacy programs
I would like to volunteer with: I would like to donate a tax-deducble gi of:
Adults Early Childhood Learning (0-4 years) $10 $50
Children (grades 1-3) Other Dues $25 $100
Other amount of $__________________
Donor/Volunteer Contact Informaon
Name:_________________________________
Address:_____________________________ City:____________________ State:_______ Zip:________
Phone:__________________________________ Email:_______________________________________
Payment Opons
Check is aached (made payable to the Arlington Public Library Foundaon)Credit Card(circle one) AMEX VISA MC Disc
Name as it appears on card:___________________________________
Card #:_______________________________ Exp. Date:____________
Signature:____________________________ Date:________________
Mail to: Arlington Public Library an. Arlington Public Library Foundaon
101 East Abram Street
Arlington, TX 76010
817-459-6900