A great teacher learns from their students. This month’s Literacy Leader, Kristy Nielsen, says she values her students because she is able to learn from them as much as they learn from her. Kristy is an ESL tutor at the Open Door Learning Center in Northeast Minneapolis. She’s been there for over a year and a half. On a typical day, she goes to her class right after work, with a prepared lesson plan, and doesn’t get home until after 9 p.m. She chose to teach beginning level ESL because she loves the liveliness of the large class size. At first, she was nervous about the work load because she already has a full plate with her full-time job, but she’s found that spending time with her students actually relieves stress. She spends break time sitting and talking with her students, answering questions and making sure that they understand the material. She clearly has a close and meaningful relationship with her students, who appreciate her very much.

Kristy says she will continue to volunteer because she loves spending time with the students and meeting new people, especially people from different communities, countries and cultures. Kristy also loves bringing fun to the classroom, including fostering friendly competition among students. “We play the flyswatter game in class, where I write a bunch of words on the white board, relating to a topic students are learning about, and divide the class into two teams. One person from each team comes up at a time and when I say a word, the first person to swat the word on the board with their flyswatter earns a point for their team. Students get excited about this activity, and sometimes competitive, trying their best to be the first to swat the correct word as their teammates cheer them on (and try to help them out), and it always ends up being hilarious!”

In her down time, Kristy likes to unwind by watching Netflix and cooking. She is also a singer and a nature-lover.

She says she loves her work environment at the Open Door Learning Center, and especially appreciates her program coordinator. “I want to mention that my Program Coordinator, Ilse Griffin, is so friendly, genuine, and helpful, and is another reason teaching at Open Door Learning Center Northeast is so great.”

We are so grateful to Kristy for dedicating her Monday evenings (and more, as any good teacher does) to literacy! Congratulations, Kristy!

“I enjoy life.” That’s the philosophy of this month’s Literacy Leader, Grant Stabenow.

Grant has been a literacy volunteer for 15 years, spending much of that time between Lao Family Community of Minnesota and Hmong American Partnership (HAP). Currently, Grant teaches beginning and advanced courses every Monday and Thursday at HAP. When we asked HAP’s Adult Basic Education Coordinator, Andrea Gerhart, to choose a stellar volunteer, she immediately thought of Grant, sharing, “he gives so much of his time, energy and resources. He really goes out of his way to serve our students well in so many different capacities!”

Cultivating a classroom atmosphere that’s engaging and inclusive is important to Grant, and it shows in his teaching style. To prepare for lessons, Grant gets additional support and guidance from his wife, who is also a volunteer and teacher. They discuss lesson plans and exchange ideas before and after every volunteer session. Every class period, he comes in early to provide time for open conversation with students, and to consult with teachers. Developing a curriculum that’s engaging for students is important to educators, as well. Grant shares his secret to achieving this, “I try to incorporate activities that get students moving and involved in learning.”

There isn’t much that can keep Grant from his volunteer work. Even when he was in the hospital for surgery a few years ago, Grant could not wait to get back into the classroom. “My best volunteer moment was when I was hospitalized several years ago and I received a sheaf of get-well cards and drawings from my students.” Those well-wishes were just what Grant needed to make a remarkably speedy recovery. “I bounded out of the hospital and three days after surgery was back to teaching.”

The greatest teachers never stop learning, and this attitude comes naturally to Grant. “I keep coming back because these guys are eager to learn, fun to work with, and they teach me as much as I teach them.” The dedication that Grant brings to his volunteer work is a value to his program, students and community. We can see why he enjoys life so much.

Thank you, Grant, for dedicating 15 years to volunteering with literacy!

Kris Trelles has been volunteering at Centro Guadalupano in Minneapolis since she retired from her job teaching ESL in Minneapolis Public Schools. She started at Centro four years ago to fulfill the requirements of an Adult Basic Education teaching licensure program and has been volunteering there ever since. She decided to continue volunteering at Centro, rather than to take a paid position in a larger classroom, she says, because she likes the smaller classes and the informal and friendly structure.

Kris teaches Wednesday mornings in the high intermediate level classes. Class starts at 9:30 am, but she always arrives earlier to work one-to-one help with a student in reading. During class, students sit in a circle together to facilitate discussion. Her classes are two hours long, and focus on reading, writing, listening and speaking. Many students stay after class to work on specific tasks and to talk with Kris about their lives.

When we asked Kris what kept her coming back, she said “the students. I feel strongly about the positive contributions that immigrants have made to our country (my father and father-in-law were both immigrants), and I want to do my part to help them be successful in the United States”. Kris’ passion for learning and teaching has helped her students keep coming back as well. Her favorite thing about class is fostering a community across languages in her classroom. She loves learning about her students’ families, languages, and cultures. She said, “right now the students in my class are from four different continents and speak four different languages — Spanish, Somali, French and Vietnamese. We have all been surprised to discover that there are many similarities in language structure between Spanish and Somali!” She loves seeing her students succeed and have fun all at once.

Kris is energized by teaching. In her down time, she likes to knit hats and mittens for the children of her students. She describes herself as resourceful, kind and inquisitive, qualities that clearly contribute to her success as a teacher and lifelong learner. Thank you, Kris, for your dedication to literacy and education, and for being a Literacy Leader!

Dr. William Snyder is an English professor at Concordia College who has contributed his teaching skills and expertise to adult literacy students by volunteering in the Moorhead Adult Basic Education program for the past 10 years. He volunteers Thursday mornings in an ESL classroom, where he and his students sit around a conference table and discuss a pre-selected news article. William does this so his students are more comfortable with colloquial and newer vocabulary, and so they are up–to-date on current events. He says, “I enjoy very much being in the presence of people who are from other cultures and countries. I enjoy teaching them slang, the various definitions and usages of individual words, and information that may help them with their continued development as New Americans.” Conversations often stray from the main topic, but are always rich and fun, says William. “I don’t really have a single best moment. I always enjoy the mutual appreciation we have between us—volunteer and students, when I leave each week”.

Tammy Schatz, Snyder's site coordinator, said this about William: "Although he is a humble man, Dr. Snyder has an undeniable passion for humanity. He empowers and engages the Moorhead Adult Basic Education English Language Learners while connecting them to the greater community.  One of my favorite examples of this was when he hosted a number of ABE students, staff, and his college students to present about the refugee experience at a Concordia College Symposium. It has been a pleasure to partner with such a multi-talented individual over the past decade.  He has shared his gifts of music, read-aloud his own poetry, guided students in writing their own poetry, played guitar and sung, and led conversations around current events.  We are grateful for this once in a lifetime volunteer!"

William’s volunteer work goes beyond what he is able to do himself. In many of his college courses, he actually requires his students to volunteer in an adult literacy program 90 minutes a week for the entire semester. He stresses the importance of diversity in his college classroom, and often gives presentations to introduce his students to new cultures and ideas. He has led Study Abroad programs to Malta, Tanzania, and India, among others. Except for 2012, he has led Rwanda: Service in the Heart of Africa—a program he developed—since 2009.

Professor Snyder has published poems, short fiction, and essays in over two hundred literary journals and magazines, nationally and internationally, including Atlanta Review, Poet Lore, Folio, Cottonwood, and Southern Humanities Review.

William’s passion for learning takes many shapes in his life, but his commitment to volunteering with adult literacy learners is what makes him a Literacy Leader. From everyone at the Minnesota Literacy Council, thank you, William!

My name is Kehinde Winful, and I am a Community Outreach Intern with the Minnesota Literacy Council this summer.

Last week I went to an outreach event at a local elementary school to share information about free classes for adults. After the event I began thinking of ways in which we can better reach and share information about classes with adults who do not speak English. This blog is a reflection of that thought process. It ends by sharing how volunteers can help us reach prospective, non-English speaking students.

A little girl comes up to the Minnesota Literacy Council booth and starts asking questions, while her mother stands behind her quietly. The little girl asks who we are and we answer. She relays the information back to her mother in Spanish. Suddenly I am aware that the little girl's mother doesn’t speak English. At the event, I am confronted with the harsh realities that children, as young as eight years old, are sometimes the only modes of communication and understanding between the parent and the larger English-speaking community.

How then, do we best reach prospective students if we do not speak their language?

The use of bilingual speakers

From previous experience working with adults learning English, I have heard and seen that adults often feel frustrated, as well as other emotions, with their inability to communicate with others. Having a bilingual speaker at outreach events would help prospective, non-English speaking students feel more comfortable and open to the process of getting information about ABE classes.

Are you bilingual and interested in finding out how you can help or get involved?

The Minnesota Literacy Council is looking for bilingual outreach team volunteers to serve as advocates for literacy and literacy-related volunteerism.

As an outreach team volunteer, you’d attend outreach events, speak with prospective students and volunteers, track inquiries throughout each shift, and communicate any follow-up to staff members.

We’re looking for volunteers who…

• Can speak Spanish, Somali, or Karen.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills, and an interest in working directly with people.
• Are dependable and able to attend volunteer shifts on time.
• Appreciate diversity in its many forms, including “below the surface” cultural differences such as communication styles, body language and others.
• Have an awareness of the systemic structures of power and privilege in the United States.
• Are current or former volunteers at Adult Basic Education or other literacy programs (preferred, but not required).

Time Commitment: Flexible, depending on availability, with an average of 3-8 hours per month. Many outreach activities take place on evenings and weekends.

Location: Multiple locations at community events and festivals across the Twin Cities. 

Volunteers must be 18 years old. Training is provided.

Contact Wendy for more details: wroberts@mnliteracy.org

Jane Dorn is an English as a Second Language classroom volunteer in Saint Michael. She’s been volunteering for nearly six years and has worked in beginning through advanced levels. She loves seeing her students’ passion for learning, and, as a retired special education teacher, she loves that she is still able to affect so many lives through teaching. “While I was still working, I read for years about the need for volunteers in the Buffalo Hanover Montrose Community Education Bulletins. Once I retired it seemed like such a good fit for me to volunteer for ABE (Adult Basic Education) programming”. The Buffalo Hanover Montrose ABE program has excellent English and GED classes, and learners come from all over the area to participate in classes and learn from volunteers.

Jane tutors on Monday mornings, walking through the classroom as learners work and helping those that are struggling. She often leads smaller groups in learning activities, and sometimes serves as a substitute teacher. Volunteering in an ESL classroom has helped Jane appreciate where her learners come from and how valuable education is to them.

Jane says, “Our adult learners are very motivated to improve their English, and that is not an easy task! They really want to be in class and it’s not always easy for them to attend. All of the students are hard workers.”

The lead teacher in Jane’s classroom, Pam Dane, says, “[Jane] brings in supplies that will add to the lessons to help the students understand and grasp the language better.  She breaks down concepts so that each student understands. She is very student-focused and is a delight to have in class. The students all love her.”

Recalling a favorite memory from the classroom, Jane said, “On Pam’s birthday one year, I loved listening to each student singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in his or her native language. It represented how much we all have in common and how we love others, regardless of where we come from or what language we speak”. Jane adds that it’s “great fun to see [students’] skills improve, and see the pride they feel. I have heard some remarkable life stories. Most of these wonderful people have had difficult life experiences and I consider them my very special friends.”

Outside of class, Jane enjoys spending time with friends and family. She loves to travel, especially to Hawaii, and also enjoys time reading and doing home improvement projects.

Thank you Jane, for your lifelong dedication to learning, and for being a true Literacy Leader!

By Kehinde Winful, Community Outreach Intern

“The best social service program in the world is a job,” a packed room of about fifty people, including myself, echoed back to President and CEO, Louis J. King II, of Summit Academy OIC in Minneapolis.

As a nonprofit organization Summit Academy empowers poor Twin Cities residents to become self-reliant and employed members of their community.^[1] Summit Academy offers both GED classes and career training in the healthcare and construction fields. They not only help students get their GED but, in either a 20 or 30 week training program, help prepare them for all aspects of the career life including: career services, money management, and emotional competency.

Upon walking the halls of the school with LaKisha Jones, Summit Academy's Program Coordinator, I saw empowerment personified. The walls, classroom doors, faculty doors, and lockers were covered with affirmations including: “you are kind” and “your enthusiasm is appreciated.” Two of my personal favorites.

As I walked through the halls I saw what resilience looks like at every stage of life. From seeing students in the classrooms, students of past and present pictured on the walls, and pamphlets of success stories, I thought about the importance of second chances, and thirds, and fourths. To me, the power of organizations like Summit Academy is that they keep hope alive.

Before the informational session started, a video of all the skills taught at Summit Academy (which is very impressive) played in the background. When one student in the video spoke about carpentering, I heard a middle-aged woman say to her friend, “Look, I can learn to be a carpenter. I can build my own house. After that, all I need is some land.” Her friend smiled back, “Yes, all you’ll need is some land.” That was my first glimpse of what a program like Summit Academy OIC can do for people. It empowers people to see what they can do for themselves.

At my Alma Mater, the motto was, “Preparing people to lead extraordinary lives.” In hearing President Louis J. King II speak I saw that motto exemplified. Mr. King spoke about what it takes to get started and to make the changes one needs to make to get their GED or career training to better themselves. He spoke about how often times we must leave places and people who make us comfortable in pursuit of our better selves. He however, made the distinction between “better selves” and being “good people” saying, “you are not bad people, but somewhere along the way you were lied too, someone told you that you didn’t need to finish school-- but no matter where you come from you have me now.”

To me, an extraordinary life is one where hope is always on the horizon. While my journey is different than the prospective students of Summit Academy, as an observer in that informational session, I had a feeling that I am sure many prospective students have had: I could do anything. I am reminded of one of the other quotes I saw around the school building, “I can and I will.”

In that room there was a sense of hope that transcended race, age, and gender. I feel that at Summit Academy there is a place for every kind of person. This is especially true because they are always looking for volunteers, and they have a variety of volunteer opportunities available including but not limited to: instructional tutoring (in language arts, reading comprehension, math, writing and GED test-prep), test proctoring, administrative/reception help, and guest speaking.

As I reflect on the informational session I think about one of the parts that impacted me the most, Mr. King said, “Show up every day, if you can’t walk--fly.”

Interested in learning how to get involved with Summit Academy OIC? Contact LaKisha Jones: LJones@saoic.org.

Bob Adams has been volunteering at WEST Adult Basic Education - Monticello as a one-on-one English as a Second Language tutor for four years. He heard about the program through his wife, Thea, who is a long term volunteer as well.

Bob likes to arrive to program early to talk to Pam Dane, the Volunteer Coordinator at Monticello. When asked for a recommendations for a Literacy Leaders, Pam nominated Bob, and said, “(Bob) really enjoys working with the intermediate and advanced students on their reading and writing. He has also helped students with their GED studies and stories for Journeys. He has a great sense of humor and enjoys being with the students and learning from them, too”. He dedicates up to 3 hours a week to his students to help them achieve their individual goals. His proudest volunteer memory was when he was able to help a learner pass a section of their GED test, enabling them to obtain their GED certificate. Bob’s favorite aspect of volunteering is simply sharing (and receiving!) new knowledge. “It is very rewarding to help people learn something new and get better at it”.

Bob is a retired attorney and does Legal Aid Advisories to help veterans get benefits by volunteering with the Department of Defense. He and his wife love being able to give back to their community through the Monticello program. Bob’s dedication and thoughtfulness to Adult Basic Education is what makes him a Literacy Leader, but in his own words, he is simply “following his bliss”. Thank you for all you do, Bob, and congratulations!

When Karen Verburg worked for a family collaboration in six elementary schools in Mankato Area Public Schools, she served as a support between home and school and often knew adult ESL students as the parents of her elementary students. Since she retired from her long career in K-12, she has spent much of her free time volunteering with those parents, along with other adults, at the Mankato Area Adult Basic Education program.

Karen has been volunteering with Mankato ABE for the past seven years, spending four mornings a week working with the lead teacher to determine which skills to focus on with her ESL students. Karen says that she enjoys “the challenge of finding and preparing materials that correspond to the particular needs of groups or individuals.” Alison Troldahl, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator for Mankato Area Public Schools, says she commends Karen on her many years of volunteer service and adds that she’s been “an integral part of the volunteer program.”

As for her favorite part of volunteering, Karen can’t decide: “all of it—the people, the program, seeing the growth, the appreciation, the challenges. I keep coming back because it’s what I love. I may be retired, but the stimulation, the social aspect, the ways [it keeps] me active, both physically and mentally, all keep my life meaningful.”

Alison says that one of the benefits Karen brings to the volunteer program is how much she cares about the students and adds, “the teachers can always count on [her].”

Karen’s dedication to and caring for her students is what makes her a Literacy Leader, and she wants people to know, “life is for experiencing, for discovering what our individual skills are and throwing them into the pot of life so we all benefit from each other.”

Thank you for all you do, Karen, and congratulations!

Lincoln ABE – Mankato volunteer Jo Johnson has been volunteering in English language classes (ESL) for 17 years. She knew there was a need for adult literacy volunteers, and she was finally able to start volunteering after her retirement. Jo always suspected it would be a good volunteer opportunity for her, but she’s been pleasantly surprised by just how wonderful adult ESL has been.

“It’s been the most rewarding job I could ever imagine,” Jo says. Jo volunteers three hours a day, three days a week. Over the past 17 years, she’s worked with all levels but currently works with students on pre-diploma and basic reading skills. “I love teaching reading and spelling,” she says.

According to Alison Troldahl, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator for Mankato Area Public Schools, which operates the program, Jo has been an integral part of the volunteer program, and has gone above and beyond in caring about the students.

Jo’s focus on her students is evident in her favorite part of volunteering: when a student grasps the concepts. Another favorite: “the thanks and appreciation the students show every day!” The students aren’t the only ones learning. Jo adds, “I have learned so much about other countries, their cultures and resilience. I remember when a teacher’s husband died unexpectedly, and the students prayed and brought food and were so supportive.”

Alison says that the teachers can always count on Jo, but for Jo it’s easy to be dependable. “It’s a useful, thank-filled job -- plus it’s a lot of fun,” says Jo.

Thank you for all you do, Jo, and congratulations!

What is your name? Kelly Rynda

Where do you volunteer? Hmong American Partnership

What is your volunteer role? Volunteer teacher

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? I love getting to know people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. The world is a big place and there’s so much to see and learn – volunteering is a way for me to meet a few more people and learn about their experiences.

What is your motivation for volunteering? I feel like my motivations for volunteering are largely selfish – I really enjoy it, and it’s a great way to gain experience. I volunteer at a few different places, some of them related to my work and some of them not, and it’s a great way to learn new things. I’ve found that all skills, even if they seem really specific, translate to other areas. And I like to meet different people and learn new things from them.

What is your funniest volunteer memory? I teach a beginning English class right now, and I love it when my students understand enough English to be making jokes in English that their classmates and I can laugh at together. Recently we were acting out a visit to the doctor’s office, and the student playing the receptionist was supposed to say something like, “Please take a seat and wait for the doctor,” but it ended up being more like, “Go over there.” We all laughed, and the students explained how politeness is different in their culture. Fun, educational, and good English practice!

What is your name? Christian McCleary

Where do you volunteer? YouthBuild

What is your volunteer role? Digital literacy volunteer

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? As a black male, my favorite thing about volunteering is being able to give back and provide resources to students of color who are unware of the resources that are out there, like résumé building, job training, college readiness, GED classes, and mentor programs – a lot students are unaware that these services are available.

What is your motivation for volunteering? Personal experience is my number one motivation, because I went through similar pathways as the students I serve. By overcoming my barriers, I would like to teach others how they can overcome theirs and become more involved with communities and programs at young ages.

What is your funniest volunteer memory? I have a lot of them for YouthBuild; however, my number one would be when one student won an ultimate rock–paper–scissors icebreaker by using rock to beat everyone. I was the first person he beat. Apparently no one tried paper against him! What I learned is to use paper first for our next ultimate rock–paper–scissors icebreaker.

New year, new blog features! After many successful years of our Literacy Leader feature, we've decided to introduce a new feature for 2018 called Share Your Voice so we can hear directly from you – our incredible volunteers. As a literacy volunteer, you are part of a dedicated, compassionate and creative community that is 3,655 strong. These are your stories. Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Sophie Liautaud

Where do you volunteer? Open Door Learning Center - Northeast

What is your volunteer role? One-on-one tutor

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? I love seeing students "get" the material. When concepts or vocabulary click with a student, they become thrilled! Being able to be a part of that learning process makes everything worthwhile.

What is something you've learned from a student? My students teach me so much! I find it particularly powerful hearing about their dreams of what they want to be someday, even as adults. Our students have so much ambition and determination that it motivates me to do better in my life!

What is your motivation for volunteering? Growing up speaking/reading/writing in English, I find it my responsibility to share what I have learned through making sure my community members are receiving the opportunity of literacy. Minnesota has incredible resources for people of all ages interested in learning English and I'm honored to be a part of the efforts!

What is your funniest volunteer memory? The first time I ever substitute taught, at the end of the lesson, one of my students said, "Sophie. My brain hurts so much. You did a great job!" Everyone laughed and I felt silly for having worried so much prior to teaching the lesson. Students give the best (and goofiest) feedback!

What is your favorite book and why?The Martian by Andy Weir is one of my favorites! Sci-fi isn't usually my genre of choice, but for some reason, I picked up this book, began reading it and haven't been able to put it down! The main character has a wonderful sense of humor despite his circumstances. We will see how the ending goes... I haven't finished it yet nor have I seen the movie.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Chueka Yang

Where do you volunteer? Minnesota Literacy Council

What is your volunteer role? Community Outreach Intern

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? My favorite thing about volunteering is giving back to and helping the community, and knowing that something as small as just answering questions will make a difference in the community and the people around me. I am so glad to be able to help out by my volunteering and get a chance to see the difference in people's lives.

What is your motivation for volunteering? My motivation for volunteering is making a difference in the community and providing as many resources as possible to those who are in need. The smile and the help that I bring will keep me going as well as knowing that I have already done something to help my community to become a better place for our new generations.

What is your favorite book and why? There are a lot of books that I have read, but one of my favorites is A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer. I could feel and picture myself going into this book while reading. Another one of my favorite books, also by Dave Pelzer, is called The Lost Boy. I almost cry reading it. This is a sad book of the boy whose mother no longer wants him.

Anything else you’d like to share about your volunteer experience? Volunteering is something I have always enjoyed doing. Also, it's to get my feet into the door of my future career with all these wonderful volunteering experiences. I have also met many great people during my volunteering years.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Evan Brewer

Where do you volunteer? Cedar Valley Learning Center in Apple Valley

What is your volunteer role? Teacher Assistant

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? Providing educational and emotional support to people who are living through these turbulent times is very important.

What is something you've learned from a student? I continue to be inspired by the dedication, grace and humor showed by these students, and that reaffirms my hope for our country.

What is your motivation for volunteering? I'm a retired teacher, but I still feel as if I can contribute positively, adding my life experiences to their lives.

Anything else you’d like to share about your volunteer experience? As much as I can, I want to reassure our English-language learners that they are wanted and valued, and the U.S. is a welcoming place.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Annie Schoonover

Where do you volunteer? The Minnesota Literacy Council main office and the Beginning ESL class at the Harmony Learning Center in Maplewood.

What is your volunteer role? I am a Community Outreach Intern for the Minnesota Literacy Council, as well as a one-on-one classroom tutor at Harmony.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? Probably all the opportunities I have to meet people who are passionate about education. I love talking to the other volunteers and seeing how much they genuinely care about their students. I love going to meetings and participating in conversations about how to make this organization more inclusive and effective. I love tabling at fairs and events and telling people about the awesome volunteer opportunities that exist in their community. And I especially love talking to the students and seeing how dedicated they are to learning English.

What is something you've learned from a student? There was a particular student who started coming to class the same day I started volunteering. The first time I worked with her, she was clearly very nervous about being there and would get frustrated with herself whenever she didn't know something. A few weeks later, when I worked with her again, she had made amazing progress and felt so much more confident. Her ability to show up every day and do the work despite her nervousness is something I really admire.

What is your motivation for volunteering? As a creative writing major, verbal self-expression is very important to me. Not being able to speak the same language as the people around you is so difficult, and it creates social and emotional barriers as well as practical ones. I volunteer because, by teaching English, I'm not only helping people access important opportunities and services, I'm helping people form new connections to others in their community.

What is your favorite book and why? I love Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente. It's set during a sci-fi version of the Golden Age of Hollywood and tells the story of a documentarian who travels to Venus to investigate a colony that mysteriously disappeared years ago. It's a really immersive story—the language is beautiful, and the world Valente creates is dazzling and strange. The book also plays with genre in a fascinating way.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Audrey Dombro

Where do you volunteer? I work as a community outreach intern [at the Minnesota Literacy Council] and I volunteer at Cedar Riverside Adult Education Collaborative.

What is your volunteer role? Classroom assistant in a low-level literacy class.

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? The learners I work with have instilled in me an understanding of the depth of connection and communication that goes beyond verbal. Although there is quite a significant language barrier in class, I’ve been struck by how easy it can be to reach an understanding – to share humor, to motivate, sometimes even to be sassy, and overall to get a grasp on each other’s personality through the interactions that we have. I have always enjoyed meeting new people, because I feel that each person you meet has something to teach you, and volunteering provides me with so many people to meet!

What is something you've learned from a student? The English language can be totally wack! One of the students I work with always approaches me excitedly in any spare minute, pointing to every single word on her paper for me to say aloud so she can listen and repeat the pronunciation. This always makes me feel like we’re on a road trip and I’m navigating from my memory while she’s relying on a map that doesn’t show the route. The words she stumbles over often have silent letters or letters that combine to form a completely different sound. Working with this learner has taught me that English is far from phonetic and therefore not intuitive at all; it takes constant memorization and repetition! So I have loads of respect for learners of English.

What is your motivation for volunteering? I’m here to help build a stronger community. To me, literacy is important because it can be an avenue to advocacy and political activism. And I am a Minnesota baby after all, so the galvanizing spirit of volunteerism runs deep in the tributaries and channels of my veins.

What is your funniest volunteer memory? It can be difficult to explain the meaning of words that are not tangible, and when faced with such, a game of charades starts. One of my recent favorites – cue hands waving in the air, wide eyes, trying to act out "lost" – left us all giggling.

What is your favorite book and why? I just finished The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, and I highly encourage those who have not read it to do so. The book discusses how mass incarceration as been used as a tool to perpetuate an American caste system that criminalizes minorities. Without a doubt, this is an urgent and meaningful read.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Ree Ford

Where do you volunteer? I volunteer both with the Minnesota Literacy Council as well as with Hmong American Partnership.

What is your volunteer role? Community Outreach Intern (at the literacy council) and Study Lab Tutor (at HAP)

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? I love getting to know the students that I work with and the other volunteers, as well as the staff at each site I've been to. Everyone I've met so far is beyond welcoming and always willing to give you assistance when you need it. When I was volunteering at the Franklin Learning Center last spring I loved it when the whole community would get together to celebrate a student passing their citizenship exam or GED test. The staff would announce it to the whole learning center, give the student time to speak if they wished, and would even sometimes bring food for everyone to enjoy. It was wonderful!

What is something you've learned from a student? From volunteering I've learned both patience and flexibility. Sometimes students take a little longer to understand a concept and that's completely OK! In response a volunteer should be flexible and willing to adapt to the learning style of their student. Occasionally this may take a little time but I always feel just as excited as the student when I see the idea finally click.

What is your motivation for volunteering? Ever since I entered college I’ve known that I want to do something in the community. Something that would create long-lasting, systematic change to better the lives of both individuals and families alike. At first I had no idea what this would mean, and I'm still learning every day, but volunteering has given me the opportunity to explore as well as see firsthand the impact organizations have all around Minnesota. One of the factors that really attracted me to the Minnesota Literacy Council was its history. The belief that if “one person was taught to read, and that person taught someone to read, they could create a movement” resonates strongly with me and I wanted to be a part of this chain of learning.

What is your favorite book and why? I just finished When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore. I'm a huge fan of young adult fiction and this story is definitely listed in my top ten.  McLemore does an amazing job in portraying a diversity of identities, cultures, and views. I promise, if you enjoy magical realism and young adult literature you'll love this book!

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.

What is your name? Abby Yates

Where do you volunteer? Cedar Riverside Adult Education Collaborative (CRAEC) and the Minnesota Literacy Council main office

What is your volunteer role? Community Outreach Intern and ESL Classroom Helper

What is your favorite thing about volunteering? I have a passion for teaching and learning, and I find that when volunteering, I can do both. Volunteering in an adult ESL classroom allows me to assist students and give them personalized attention, while at the same time allowing me to learn from the students through our interactions.

What is something you've learned from a student? The students I work with are resilient and persistent individuals, and I admire their ability to overcome frustration and confusion when learning a new language. Many of my students are older, and seeing them come to class each week emphasizes the notion that it's never too late to learn something new to better yourself.

What is your motivation for volunteering? I am a student at the University of Minnesota, and for the past three years I have spent hundreds of hours on the campus' West Bank, blocks away from Riverside Plaza. I never had the inclination to walk through the plaza, or learn about its history or present conditions, even though I can see it outside my classroom windows. I wanted to volunteer specifically at CRAEC because I think it is easy to stay in the U of M bubble and not interact with the communities neighboring campus, and I wanted to break that bubble.

What is your favorite book and why? To be honest, I'm not much of a fiction-reader. (I love to learn about topics and people through non-fiction writing and biographies.) However, I will always cherish the Harry Potter series and plan on reading all seven books another time in the near future.

Have a story of your own you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it! Simply fill out this form to share your voice, and we’ll highlight your experience in our monthly e-newsletter for adult literacy volunteers and here in the Volunteer Voice blog.