In an era when need is everywhere and our communities often seem unwelcoming to those who have difficulty communicating, Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is a beacon of hope, an offer of help to those who are struggling to function in our complex society. needing stronger skills in English, math, science, computer use, etc.It has been my privilege to tutor students through the Literacy Council's excellent program. One person with whom I worked was eager to learn to read to his grandchildren. Another student wanted to improve his skills so he could seek and obtain promotions in his work. And a student who is fluent in three languages, English being her most recent, is working to earn a US high school graduation equivalency. It is a privilege for me to serve these students as part of the excellent program designed and overseen by the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council.
I've been a tutor with the organization and have been impressed by the helpfulness and responsiveness of the staff.
I am a well educated retiree who had been looking for a place to volunteer to do real work. I was tired of fund raising (although I know it is critical) I craved an operations role. I found just that with the AACLC. Today I proudly tell friends, family and anyone who will listen that I am a tutor. The overwhelming and humbling experience of facilitating self motivated but under severed individuals to make a profound difference in their own lives and in our society is the single most rewarding thing I have done. AACLC does more good with so few resources it amazes me daily.
Anne Arundel Literacy Council has given me the opportunity to "give back to the community" by sharing my passion for reading and beading. This semester, I served as a volunteer for ESOL client, Ms. Winnie Chan. Ms. Chan really blossomed from shy to a savvy. I also led a beading club where one of the high school students made beaded bracelets to raise funds for the Literacy Council. When I asked her why this was important to her she said, "Because it's good to do something for the less fortunate."
The AALC is a hidden gem in the County. The work they do to provide literacy and math training to adults is hugely rewarding. If you heard the gratitude of students that can get their GED, find a job and read to their children and grandchildren, you'd understand how critical the AALC is. The key route out of poverty is literacy - the beauty is that no one can take it away.
The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council, once the best-kept secret locally, is now recognized as a premier non-profit in our community. One of the most significant ways it serves our community is through its contribution to diversity. Anne Arundel County, along with all of Maryland and, indeed, our country nationwide, is becoming more diverse each day. All of us recognize the importance of good communication in fostering understanding, tolerance and shared values among the varied people of our community. And good communication demands literacy. Only a literate society can extract the commonalities among varied diverse groups to bring them together in a way that honors diversity while celebrating unity. Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is to be commended for its stellar service in addressing the literacy needs of our community.
The AACLC has a very dedicated and passionate staff devoted to helping any individuals in the county needing literacy assistance. This dedication is matched by the volunteers who spend countless hours assisting in reading and sometimes in other skills necessary for success in life. The AACLC is an organization truly committed to improving our community and it deserves recognition for the long-term positive impact it has on both volunteers and students.
The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council has great impact in the community. Beyond the boats on the Chesapeake Bay and the historic downtown of Annapolis are pockets of economic struggle, with inadequate literacy skills posing a hurdle for many. The Council is run by people committed to lifting the community, bringing together those who desire to lend a hand with those willing to take that hand and climb the rungs of personal aspiration.
Lisa Vernon and the entire staff at AACLC have been instrumental and supportive in providing an effective means for volunteers to help students, ending illiteracy one student at a time. Volunteering is apparently in their blood, dedication and professionalism shines through.
Kudos to Lisa Vernon and the AACLC, INC staff. What a great group of volunteers. I just received excellent training to be a reading tutor and cannot wait to give of my time and talent to the organization and to those who are less educated for whatever reason so that they can better navigate our daily living.
I worked with the AACLC to tutor an ELS student. Watching the commitment and the effect that the organization has, I was glad that I could be apart of it. I'm not sure who gets the most from the experience, the tutors are so dedicated, or the student who is also dedicated.
AACLC truly changes lives in deep, meaningful and lasting ways. Literacy skills are not just about learning to read, they are about learning to think, being able to articulate goals and persevere to achieve them. AACLC recognizes that "teaching people to fish" is a process that takes time and guidance. When the two come together - caring tutors with committed tutees - lives change in both measurable and immeasurable ways. AACLC is not just changing lives, AACLC is changing society one life at a time.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was created by the federal government to address reading and math issues students in elementary and secondary schools have to ensure a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. "Children who learn to read well early in life are more likely to be engaged in school and experience academic success. A deficiency in reading skills impacts achievement in all other areas of education.”(U.S. DOE)
The NCLB addresses issues inside the school system, but what about students and adults of any age who may have left the school system without learning to read well? Those who might not have gotten the individualized attention that they needed to become life-long learners and readers can get that attention from tutors in the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council (AACLC). The AACLC provides personalized assessments for participants, training for volunteer tutors, and resource materials for both within the program.
Perhaps the AACLC should be known as the No Adult Left Behind Agency of 2015!
I noticed that people who cannot read, write, or speak proper English feel ashamed of that. The Literacy Council gives them a chance to improve their quality of life and become an equal member of the society .
The literacy council provides a wonderful opportunity for us to share our love of reading and commitment to literacy with others who have a desire to improve their reading skills. It is a joy to see their excitement as reading becomes an important part of their lives. All of this is done at no cost to the participant. What a gift!
I have had the privilege of helping AACLC with their website for two or three years, and I continue to be amazed at how active, committed, and engaged its volunteers and supporters are.
Every month there are new "Success Stories" of lives changed, and often those lives are not just the students, but the tutors as well. I have an inside glimpse of how many hours of dedicated service are put into this organization, and it is staggering.
If you are a potential donor with a heart for changing lives, especially if you live in the Anne Arundel County area, there could be no better organization for you to consider supporting.
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I have worked with the board and staff of AACLC to help them revitalize their website. Without exception, I found them to be dedicated, well-trained, knowledgeable, and passionate about their organization's mission. Anne Arundel County is fortunate to have such a vibrant group performing such a vital service.
I am currently working with a 20 year old young man who dropped out of high school after the tenth grade. I cannot praise too highly the quality & quantity of support I receive from those in charge of AACLC: E-mails with suggestions for different techniques and new resources, seminars on specific topics, continuing training opportunities, and responses to e-mail queries within minutes. AACLC even sponsored a dinner party with a motivational speaker for students and tutors earlier this month.
When I started with this student, six months ago, he really couldn't read at all! Meeting twice a week and using the Laubach method prescribed by AACLC, he has completed Book 1 and is truly able to read fluently the materials provided with confidence. That AACLC provides all materials to students and tutors at no charge is amazing. The gift of the tools needed to learn to read truly enhances their value. My student and I are proud of his progress and look forward to broadening and refining his skills.
I am a volunteer literacy tutor and I fnd the AACLC to be very effective in recruiting adults who need assistance with increasing their speed and ability to read. I have had 3 tutoring students - they have all been able to meet their objectives in terms of increasing their ability to read.
The most motivated of my students have been those who want to read as well as their children do - to be able to assist their children with their homework, answer their questions about reading assignments, etc. All of my students have been able to achieve that objective and more.
Very good organization, that allows one on one tutoring for those who are not able to work in a class environment.
The Ann Arundel County Literacy Council activities have a profound influence on the clients who want to read and write. Opportunities open to those who become literate. All this is done with a corps of volunteers.
Recipients of this service are so grateful and say it can be life changing. I know that the volunteers and staff go well beyond to help the students achieve their goal. It's just as rewarding to the volunteers as the student when they reach their goal.
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I have now been involved as a tutor with the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council for several months as a volunteer. As a tutor, I work with two adults, teaching them how to read and write. It is most rewarding to see my students progress in their studies and become more educated and confident about their new found skills. One student's goal is to become a nurse, while the other wishes to get a better job to support his family and eventually attend college.
I think the AACLC is a most worthy non profit organization and offers essential services and educational opportunities to Anne Arundel County residents. Currently, there are 70,000 people in my county who do not have the reading and writing skills to obtain a GED. The more support AACLC gets from the county and state, financially and otherwise, the more AACLC will be able to help our citizens reach their educational goals and become independent.
I am very thankful for this opportunity to be involved in such a worthy organization.
Sarah M. Fredericks
Odenton, MD
I have been a part of this organization only since last November. In that short time, I have found that many of the people are very dedicated and help make it a successful organization. I am very proud to be a part of such a well run council.
AACLC offers excellent instruction to prepare tutors. It pairs up tutors to students geographically to optimize convenience for both parties. This also improves the chances that tutors and students will be able to meet regularly. The AACLC office provides training materials and frequently suggests helpful websites. Even the periodic emails with lesson ideas and inspiring stories keeps the focus on the training and success for students. I am very pleased with the support I receive as a volunteer.
The Anne Arund Literacy Counci is a very important volunteer group that is sincerely dedicated to helping adults of all ages to improve their reading. The "students" and their volunteer tutors develop a
personal relationship as they work together in the reading process. I love working with my student at the public library and seeing him progress; and, the Literacy Council provides all the training and all the materials that we need. Tell your friends and family what a great organization it is, helping so many of our county residents to become better readers!
L. L..
Second year AACLC tutor
You can't imagine how much AACLC is accomplishing! Both tutors and clients are being sought out by whatever means all of us can think of. We have an active board, a volunteer structure that includes folks in charge of tutor training, tutor oversight, methods for matching tutors and clients, an incredible monthly newsletter, community links with all appropriate agencies, and connections with politicians and local media.
Volunteers are given intensive training and offered regular workshops to increase their capabilities.
AACLC also recognizes its volunteers both formally and informally.
All of these things are accomplished by a group of dedicated volunteers who not only donate their time and talents, but funding as well.
Jill York
If you can imagine not being able to read yet through the efforts of volunteers providing one-on-one tutoring, you not only learn to read but your life takes on a new dimension. That is what AACLC is all about. As a tutor I can speak from experience that this organization provides invaluable service to individuals and in turn to the community.
Lina Vlavianos
My friend is a volunteer at AACLC and she tells the most wonderful stories about helping people read and how reading opens up a world for them. My friend now has a glow about her; as she's more exciting by what she gets from volunteering.
This is a rewarding experience for the student and the tutor. What I found in my short time involved with this group is how other organizations are very open to offering their space and time to assist in the efforts of training students. It's a positive experience when everyone is invested in helping those who need help. I look forward to more time spent in teaching those who need some help with reading and speaking English.
This organization provides one-on-one tutoring for adults in Anne Arundel County absolutely free! I met a number of students who became successful after working with a tutor, my daughter is a tutor, and I hope to be one soon. I grew up devoring books, and raised my child to enjoy reading. I cannot imagine what it must be like to want to do something so badly, and not having the resources to learn. There are many adults in the the community who do not read, or do not read well, and having someone work with them is a blessing.
This is an incredible group of volunteers who work with adult literacy. This nonprofit organization is a godsend. It shows great respect for both the adult students as well as the volunteers.
The AACLC is an outstanding nonprofit organization serving adults in Anne Arundel County who wish to learn to read. A large corp of dedicated volunteer tutors work one-on-one with the adult learners/students using especially designed curriculum materials to facilitate optimum learning for each individual. Tutor-student pairs meet in various branches of the Anne Arundel County Library system. An outstanding feature of the program is the close bond that develops over time, between the tutor and student. This bond greatly contributes to the success of the student. Many students have offered their testimony on how the AACLC program has made such a great difference in the quality of their lives in so many way - vocationally, socially and in their own feelings of self-esteem and confidence. Learning to read after living to adulthood without being able to read becomes such a great victory for those who reach their reading goals of success through the outstanding offerings of the AACLC.
Not being able to read is like being blind even though your eyes are open. One of the greatest rewards is seeing the light bulb go on inside a student's head when she/he realizes that the letters make a word that can express a feeling or a need or a want and that words can be connected to make a thought and the thoughts can be connected to tell their story and then comes the magic of writing it down so they see their words being read by their children and grandchildren and even better being able to finally read those words to the children.
My husband is a volunteer and I have had the privilege to meet his student as well as the students wife. They both have expressed their gratitude for the help and they are pleased with the progress. His wife stated that he shows more interest in reading. This is a wonderful program for those that require the help with their skills. Thank you, Jeannie Smith
I joined the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council in 2011, right after it had been publicized in an article in a local newspaper. The article inspired a good-sized group of people to take the tutor training, and they were really needed. At that time, there was quite a backlog of people who had requested tutoring, but had not yet been matched with a tutor.
Since that time the council has continued to grow, become more organized and reached many more students. There are several tutor trainings each year, multiple workshops, fundraising events and a banquet with inspiring speakers for the students, tutors and their friends and families.
My own student's reading ability has improved greatly, he reads for pleasure on a regular basis now. I have great hopes that his increased skill will help him to be able to support himself, and someday a family of his own.
As a volunteer, my experience has been exceptional! The staff was outstanding in the trainings and excellent in in all communications. AACLC is a wonderful asset to the community!.
When my third son went away to college, I decided to find some kind of volunteer work. I could not think of a more effective way to improve the common good than to help adults to read. The Literacy Council’s work seemed perfect.
After training, I was matched with a young mother of two. Her children were starting to read. She conquered her fear and shame and asked for help. The Literacy Council was there to support her in her quest for literacy.
An investment in in the Literacy Council supports community volunteers who one-on-one, teach adults to read. Because they can read, they can also read to their children, get better jobs, read the news, become better informed voters, and have more self-confidence so they can come out of the shadows.
I sometimes like to bake bread, and the analogy of baking bread and this organization is hard to resist. A teaspoon of yeast, given some warmth and time, can turn a bowl of flour, salt and water into the staff of life.
I not only support this organization with my time but also my checkbook. I just paid for our new data base system to track students and tutors monthly progress reports, freeing up volunteers time formally spent completing the reports by hand. I also offer matching funds to double a donors contribution in our on-line campaigns.
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When I first heard of this organization, I was impressed enough to become a major silent donor. I then decided to become an active participant and am now the president of the board of directors. I am committed to the council's purpose of providing one on one reading and writing instruction to adult residents of Anne Arundel Co
I don't know when I've seen a more dedicated team. I shopped around for the best organization for which to volunteer. There is no question I found my home.
I am a volunteer tutor. My student and I each get a lot from our work together. He is a hard worker and wants very much to learn how to read. He works two jobs and still comes to the library for tutoring for three hours a week. He recently told me he is going to try and cut some hours from his second job, so that he can work even more on his reading. What so many of us learned so easily is such a struggle for others.
We need, more than ever, to know how to read and write in order to stand on our own feet and compete in a world that challenges us every minute of our days, bombarding us with all sorts of information that we need to be able read and understand in order to make better choices that, not only affect ourselves, but our families and our country.
I am a volunteer tutor because I truly believe that literacy is a basic need of the human being because it helps the other basic needs like food, water, clothes, shelter and medicines become more achievable.
A great example of this is the connection between illiteracy and poverty.
As a volunteer tutor with AACLC, I see the positive impact that the gift of literacy has on so many driven, talented adults in Anne Arundel County. AACLC and its volunteer staff are improving lives for illiterate adults in our county each and every day.
The Anne Arundel Literacy Council has been a tremendous support to me as a new reading tutor.
When I need advice other tutors come to my aid and give me the benefit of their experience and give me ideas on how to proceed with my student. The training provided by the AALC has been wonderful.
You couldn't ask for better real-life instructors to help you through the process. You always have someone there. Other tutors really care about helping you and your student succeed.
Amazing, dedicated folks helping others to realize the joys of reading. It's not just about books. It is about a way of life that is closed to you without this skill. It's about the inability to read a storybook or instructions to your child. It's about filling out the most basic of applications. It's about reading the directions on a prescription bottle or how to handle toxic or dangerous material. Mostly, I believe, it is about feeling included in the world around you. AACLC opens doors.
Sandy Burch
The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is amazing! I have always loved to read and felt compelled to help others learn. I completed the two days of tutor training….the instructors were experienced and passionate about their work and were able to share first-hand knowledge and tips to teach adult learners to read. The training included presentations, practice exercises, and what it takes (patience, flexibility, commitment) to be successful. So far I have had three one-on-one learning sessions with the student who was matched with me. I can tell this will be hard, but also rewarding. What could be more valuable than making a difference in someone’s life?
I have just completed two full days of training to be a tutor. I was very impressed with the thoughtful and thorough presentations of the experienced tutors and with their willingness to share personal experiences and helpful advice. It was apparent that everyone who has been involved with this organization believes deeply in its mission and derives great satisfaction from their interactions with their students. I have spent many years developing educational materials for teachers and students, but I have never had the chance to be in classrooms to personally witness the growth that occurs from their use. Therefore, I look forward to having a long-term one-on-one teaching experience with a single student. It seems that the AACLC leaders work very hard to help all of the tutors be successful and enjoy their work. I appreciate their unwavering commitment to the ongoing training and enthusiastic support of their volunteers.
The AALC provides one-on-one tutorial support for any adult in Anne Arundel Co. wishing to improve his/her literacy skills. The program itself has the flexibility to adapt to learners at many levels with varying needs. Everyone involved is friendly and dedicated. As a new tutor I am finding this non-profit to be a truly rewarding experience.
There are over 70,000 people in Anne Arundel county who are not functionally literate in English. Adults with improved literacy are more likely to avoid crime, remain healthier, become employees, and raise children who are better prepared for school. Helping people become more functionally literate – whether immigrants or native-born – is one of the most rewarding things I've done. It's rewarding because I can touch one person at a time and really see a difference in that person's self-confidence that comes with achievement. An English tutor can see the relief, satisfaction, pleasure and new optimism that comes from acquiring a skill that will let that person become a contributing member of their community - often to get a better job and help take care of their family. The AACLC is critically important to the health and welfare of the county's residents who need help to help themselves and their families overcome the roadblock to success that functional illiteracy poses.
The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is a well organized group of people trying to help adults learn to improve their reading and writing. With time these adult learners may improve their life at home work and school. The leadership group helps the tudors in many ways with materials, workshops and lectures. My adult student seems to be friendly, upbeat, organized and motivated.
The student I am now working with has two children and only a minimum wage cleaning job to suppo rt them with. She is meeting with me EVERY DAY because she is so motivated to learn to read so she can help them with their homework (they are in Kindergarten and first grade), read to them at night, and hopefully soon go the community college so she can train as a pharmacy technician and be better able to care for them. She is an amazing woman: kind, generous, alert, smart, poised ... but she has not had the opportunity to learn to read. We are a great team and both of our lives are better from having been brought together.
I was looking for a new volunteer opportunity when I came across the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council's good work. I knew being a writer and someone who really loves "words" that this could be a good fit. Everyone needs a basic understanding for reading, writing, and comprehension to excel in today's world and I enjoy helping others accomplish those skills.
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is one of the best organizations I have ever volunteered for. First, there is tremendous support for volunteers which begins with an excellent training program for the volunteer. Training is run by very experienced experts in literacy, with varying backgrounds in reading and adult education. Assignment of students to tutors is personalized for maximum benefit to both parties so that matches are optimized for efficacy from the beginning. Because Anne Arundel County Literacy Council enjoys strong support from local organizations both public and private, its activities are well-attended and run smoothly. Anne Arundel County Literacy Council is a great organization because it is so well organized and has a mission that really matters. The impact of enhanced literacy is not only life-changing on an individual level for student and tutor, but also has significant resultant beneficial effects for the society and the economy on a macro level when the student's improved literacy leads directly or indirectly to better employment opportunities and a higher standard of living.
Lisa, the director is amazing and very helpful! The training was long, but all of the volunteers made an unbelievable effort to make it as informative and engaging as possible (the coffee helped). They are very organized, and I am so happy to be a part of AACLC.
I think the only thing that makes this non-profit limited is their funding that doesn't always provide the books we need for students.
My principal contact has been in ESOL. Here I've had the pleasure of both learning and helping.. The personal contacts and the stories of those folk about their own earlier countries and experiences has been most interesting and informative. The recognition of progress that the students exhibits is a fine reward for the time spent with them. Give it a go!
I am a volunteer student coordinator for this organization for the past 5 months. It is so rewarding and fulfilling, when we can match a student with a tutor and make them read and write better down the road. I believe that education is the key to success and not only changes the life of a person but also his/her future generations and people around them. This is why I am part of this organization and will continue to do so in whatever way I can for years to come.
I came across this organization when I was looking for a meaningful way to help people less fortunate. With a solid background in teaching, this looked like the perfect solution to my search. I have never felt more rewarded for my endeavors. I am a tutor, an assessor, and on the Board of Directors as a Tutor Representative. Seeing the sparkle in students' eyes when they realize they are accomplishing their dream is so exciting. Our teaching materials and support system are excellent. I am thoroughly committed to this organization!
Anne Arundel County Literacy Council provides an invaluable resource throughout Anne Arundel County. It is staffed by a group of dedicated volunteers who are deeply committed to literacy for all.
I have been teaching English as a Second Language to people from Vietnam for about 7 years now. This is the most rewarding work I have ever done. My students are incredibly motivated and hard-working....and they succeed! A former student, one of the brightest young women I've ever met, learned enough English to get into Community College. She graduated with flying colors and is now at University of Maryland (while working full-time, bringing over her parents and 3 siblings, and somehow finding time to meet a lovely young man and become engaged!) We just trained 40 new tutors. The need is huge! Our volunteer support staff is amazing, but I fear for them and for all of us if they exhaust themselves. Support would be welcome!
Talk about an organization that does what it says it's going to do, eliminates bureaucratic aggravation, and enables people-to-people connections that change lives--and you're talking about the Anne Arundel County Literacy Council (AACLC). Like an empathetic matchmaker, the all-volunteer AACLC pairs people who love reading with adults who have been frustrated in their efforts to learn how to read. After meeting several times a week over the course of one or many years, true progress is made and friendships forged. The time I spend with the young man I'm tutoring simply flies and I know that both of us deeply value this experience.
I have been volunteering for almost 20 years. In the last few years I have been looking to do something on a more personal level. I heard about AACLC but hadn't made it to one of their training classes until Fall of 2011. The training course was very interesting and not long after completing the training, I received several dossiers for people who needed tutoring. Once case in particular captured me, a man who wanted to improve his reading skills so he could read to his daughter. Unfortunately, there are more students that tutors, so he waited for quite some time before I got his case. So long in fact that his daughter was now a teenage and not really interested in "dad" time. But my student still wanted to work on his skills. So, for the last year, we have meet almost weekly to work on improving his reading, comprehension and writing. He has made wonderful progress. So much progress that his supervisor noticed his increased efforts at reading work manuals and complimented him on his efforts! My student was extremely proud of himself! And he continues to meet regularly with me to continue his journey into the great world of words!
AACLC is serving an important and unmet need in our county. Adults that fail to score high enough on the CASAS test to enter the GED prep or External Diploma programs are referred to the AACLC. Without this organization, there is no where else to turn.
Reading is an essential part of success in our society. To be able to share this skill with others less fortunate is a privilege. The AACLC shows tutors how to do this using an accepted and proven method. The instructors are all tutors themselves, many with years of experience in tutoring, all with years of successful life experience.
I recently completed the adult reading tutor training at The Anne Arundel County Literacy Council based in Annapolis, Maryland and I am looking forward to being assigned a student. I am impressed by the group's professionalism, their skills in teaching adults how to teach other adults to read as well as the materials and support that is provided to all volunteer tutors. The AACLC is an extremely important resource for adults trying to improve their reading skills that will ultimately make them more productive members of the community.
