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Did you know...
| Literacy Action of Central Arkansas is celebrating 25 years of impacting the lives of individuals of Central Arkansas.
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"Every problem that the country faces is being solved in some community by some group or some individual. The question is how to get connected so that the whole nation can solve problems.
A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, but as citizens - citizens in the fullest sense; partners in civilization."
-President George H. W. Bush
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Literacy Tutor Spotlight:
Mary Mayeux
In Mary's own words...
"I am tutoring a middle age woman who did not receive a sound education as a child. My student could not accomplish things in her life simply because she could not read, which includes reading to her children in their younger years.
Since we have been meeting, she is working very hard. My student's goal is to receive a college degree in education, and essentially pay it forward."
We must update that Mary's student is moving up levels within her curriculum. And, as for that happy ending we all wait for, Mary's student reads to her two year old granddaughter every night!
Mary, what an enthusiastic and exemplary tutor you are! We salute your service!
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Attention: ESL Literacy TutorsWe have three students who have been waiting for quite some time for a tutor. Below is the info.:A female that can meet in the Bryant/Geyer Springs area. Her native language is Chinese. She is available to be tutored weekdays after 5PM.A female and a male student that can meet near UALR. Their native language is Korean. Both are graduate students at UALR.We have other students waiting for tutors as well. These featured students have been waiting longer than usual for tutors. If you are available to meet with these students, please contact Shelly Owens at sowens@literacylittlerock.org.
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Any Unused Materials?
Please return unused books or workbooks to our office so that we may give those items to tutors in need of new materials. Thank you! |
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Tutoring Weekly? Report Weekly...
We encourage all our tutors to report your tutoring hours weekly, necessary in tracking time devoted and using the hours to assess students' progress.
Feel free to report hours using your smart phone (iphone, Android, Blackberry, etc...) or simply access the tutor link included in the weekly tutor e-mail.
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 | Please report hours!
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UALR and Literacy Action Team-up
Literacy Action is proud to have three teams from UALR's College of Business. These teams will be working with Literacy Action to develop a new information management system.
 | Pictured (left to right): Paschal Mgborjirikwe, Sushma Mathi, Keith West, Sree Swathi, Naresh Mohan
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We Need You!
Literacy Action is in need of two, consistent office volunteers.If you are interested or know of someone who is interested, please contact Program Coordinator, Shana Beal at sbeal@literacylittlerock.org or call the office, 501.372.7323.
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Literacy Action's Newest ESL Class
 | Pictured: ESL Class
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About half of these tutors will be volunteering at St. Theresa Catholic Church. Others will be tutoring students, one-on-one, at various locations in our community!
Pictured with this group are trainers, Dr. Marylyn Parins and one of Literacy Action's AmeriCorps volunteers, Holly Villines.
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Literacy Action Newsletter March 2012
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Friends of Literacy Action
Across Central Arkansas, volunteer literacy tutors are meeting with their adult students in churches, libraries, and other public areas in our community. Tutors are drilling their students reading, comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills, and conversing in English. Over time, students are able to apply their new literacy skills, literally exploring worlds they never dreamed of.
We have students reading to their children or grandchildren for the first time, immigrants finding better paying jobs because of increased literacy and language skills, and students showing major increases in their writing skills.
In this newsletter, you will...
- Read about the experiences of tutors
- Learn about tutor training workshops in Little Rock and Conway
- Take interest in important events: Tour de Toad, Volunteer Open House, and "One Day, One Community"
For those of you already involved in changing the life of an adult, thank you! We encourage others to become involved with Literacy Action. Pass this newsletter along, become a tutor, donate, or give us a call to explore ways we can put your skills and talents to work.
Regards, Neil Jones Executive Director Literacy Action of Central Arkansas |
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The 6th Annual Tour de Toad will be held on Sunday, May 6, 2012. Tour de Toad consists of a 33 and 46 mile bike ride through Faulkner and Perry counties. This is an easy way to support Literacy Action of Central Arkansas in Faulkner County.
Funds raised at Tour de Toad will support an adult student's first readers and workbooks.
To pre-register, click the link below Day of registration will begin at 7:00AM at the Conway High School Field House, with the bike ride beginning at 8:00AM and ending at 1:00PM. SAG support will be provided along the route. All Tour de Toad participants will be served lunch following the ride.
The first 100 registrants will receive a custom jersey bin! Please join Literacy Action of Central Arkansas as we bike for literacy!
If you have any questions regarding this event, or if you would like to sponsor Tour de Toad, contact Kelly Bullington at kbullington@literacylittlerock.org or call the Literacy Action office in Conway at 501.329.7323.
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Looking Ahead with Literacy Action
Save these dates
Arkansas Literary Festival
April 12-15, 2012Check out the Arkansas Literary Festival. Over 95 distinguished presenters will be present and festivities and activities  will take place in both Little Rock and North Little Rock. Literacy Action will be hosting the hospitality room, that is only open for authors and sponsors. This allows us to support and show appreciation to the Central Arkansas Library System. Please join us in supporting the 2012 Arkansas Literary Festival. Access the link below to learn more. http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org/----------------
"One Day, One Community" at Lilly's Dim Sum
April 17, 2012
Invite your family and friends to "pack the place" for lunch and dinner at Lilly's Dim Sum. Literacy Action will receive a percentage of the day's sales.
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It's a Double-Header...
Adult Basic Tutor Training in Conway set for April 24, 2012
Adult Basic Tutor Training in Little Rock set for April 28, 2012
We currently have two waiting lists, one in Conway and one in Little Rock. Attend a training, and join our team of energetic tutors. Literacy Action is committed to teaching adults to read and assisting them in living a healthier and fulfilled life. Please tell family members and friends about tutoring opportunities with Literacy Action, in Little Rock and Conway, and the impact it has on the community.
If you have any questions about becoming a tutor or attending the tutor training in Conway, contact Kelly Bullington at kbullington@literacylittlerock.org.
Register: Conway Adult Basic Training Registration Link
If you have any questions about becoming a tutor or attending the tutor training in Little Rock, contact Shelly Owens at sowens@literacylittlerock.org.
Register: Little Rock Adult Basic Training Registration Link
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Volunteer Open HouseApril 26, 2012 6:00PM - 7:30PM
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month
Thank you to all of our volunteers who work so hard every day to make an impact in the life of an adult. This fiscal year, our volunteers have devoted nearly 7,000 hours of preparation and instruction time to our students. This is astounding! On April 26, 2012, 6:00PM - 7:30PM, Literacy Action will host a volunteer open house, to highlight the hard work of our existing volunteers, share best practices, and to speak with anyone interested in joining our team of volunteer literacy tutors. We invite everyone to attend, volunteers and anyone interested in learning more about Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, and we ask that you bring a friend. Refreshments will be served!. Please contact Shana Beal at sbeal@literacylittlerock.org or call the office at 501.372.7323 if you have any questions. |
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A 'Good'will Experience
by Tamonica Sanders, a Literacy Action AmeriCorps Member
My tutoring experience at Goodwill has been memorable and worthwhile. I recently said goodbye to one of my more hard working students. Andrew entered the program in October 2011 with a primary goal of improving his vocabulary and writing skills.I was so impressed with Andrew's work ethic and his willingness to learn. He was present and on time for EVERY session, along with his completed homework. By February of this year, An
 | | Pictured: Tamonica's student, Andrew |
drew had made significant improvements in writing and reading comprehension.
Due to his diligence, Andrew was accepted into a job training school to pursue his new goal of obtaining an hospital position. I look forward to hearing from Andrew and discussing his recent successes in school. Andrew was a great first student which encouraged me to continue to help others in literacy.
Below is Andrew's EXACT WRITING PROMPT during his first week of tutoring and an EXACT WRITING PROMPT from his last week of tutoring.
First week's Prompt (during his first week of tutoring): Write something special about yourself.
Andrews Response: "I'm a hardworker at work. I'm a nice person to talk to."
Last week's Prompt (during his last week of tutoring): Tell me about yourself and your experience with Literacy Action.
Andrew's Response: "Hello, my name is Andrew. I'm 21 years old and I started in the literacy program in October of 2011. I been working hard to improve in my reading and writing.
In the beginning I was kind of nervous at first but I tried my best in the past 5 months. In the beginning I took the test to tell me what level I should start in. In the program I showed up everyday on time and never missed a day. Since I've been in the program I showed a lot of improvement in the classes. When I took the test for the 2nd time my score went up. I was happy when I took the test and I was showing improvement. Since I been in the program it hleped me get into the college that I wanted to go to. This program help me boost my encouragement to read out loud in front of the class. And the classes also help me learn about the new vocabulary words that I never knew before I started the literacy program. The program motivated me to never give up on your dreams. And the program can also help if you are trying to enroll in school or if you want to make a very good resume for your job interviews. Like alot of people said reading can get you everywhere in life and your future. It also motivated me to speak up when I want to talk in anyone. The literacy program help me a whole lot in my writing and vocabulary. Mainly the writing it helps me write a paragraph and may be a whole story. The writing help me with my resume and filling out job applications. And the vocabulary classes help me understand words people try to say to me. Most words people say I didn't understand.
Like when job coaches speak to me about the words and phrases, now I understand since the classes help me. I'm going to take this education with me to Hot Springs to get a very good education." |
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A Gloomy Day, A Shining Cause
Dreary, dark, and pouring rain is the only way to describe March 8, 2012, as far as mother nature. Inside the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, the climate was completely different.
Gov. Mike Beebe and First Lady Ginger Beebe greeted guests as they arrived at the mansion to shine on adult literacy in Central Arkansas. Nearly two hundred people attended the event enjoying live music by the Marchese-Hendricks Project, anticipating door prizes, and bidding on silent auction items that featured books by Arkansas authors and artists.
Literacy Action would like to thank everyone that attended Shine a Light on Literacy or made a donation. Because of your support, we are able to continue to support adults who look to Literacy Action to gain literacy proficiency.
In case you missed the fun, or THV's coverage of the event, access the link and view the pictures below.
Link: Shine a Light News Coverage
 | Pamela Jones and Pastor Tim Bullington sharing a laugh at the Fourth Annual Shine a Light on Literacy.
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 | Literacy Action's Program Coordinator Shana Beal (right) is pictured with Maxine Webb (left)
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 | First Lady Ginger Beebe greets guests at Shine a Light on Literacy
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 | Pictured (left to right): Board Members Dr. Mary Mosley, Phyllis Haynes, and Literacy Action's Executive Director, Neil Jones
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 | Literacy Action's Literacy Coordinator Shelly Owens speaking with board members, sitting, Louene Lipsmeyer and Andrew Linn
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 | Dr. Trenia Miles, Associate Director of Adult Education with the AR Department of Career Education, is pictured with Executive Director, Neil Jones
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 | Guests arrive and register at Shine a Light. Literacy Action's Board of Directors President Dan Boland and Vice President, Lee Hartz, are pictured
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 | Literacy Action's Program Coordinator in Conway, Kelly Bullington, center, and her husband, Pastor Tim Bullington, greet Gail Vaughn at Shine a Light
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 | Volunteer, Lou Turner, and Literacy Action's Assistant Program Coordinator-Intern, Lauren Remedios register guests for door prizes
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 | Literacy Coordinator, Shelly Owens, is pictured with Gov. Mike Beebe
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