Literacy Link - Leamos

Newsletter

Spring 2008

Calendar of Events

LL-L Board Meeting

March 17 at 5:15 pm

Public Library Meeting Room

All volunteers are welcomed!

Family Reading Adventures

“Storybook Characters Alive”

March 29  at 11 am

Program of The Public Library

Quarterly In-Service Training

April 4, 9:30 to 11:30 am

Lunch to Follow

Literacy Alive with author

Michael McGarrity April 5 Friends of the Library

Spring Fling Fundraiser

April 19 on Hudson Street

The Public Library is closed:

March 21 -  22 for Easter

May 24 – 26 for Memorial Day               

Literacy Link – Leamos:

A community of learners and volunteers dedicated to increasing literacy, reading and the love of learning throughout Grant County.

Literacy Link – Leamos is partially funded by the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy.

Literacy Link-Leamos

515 W. College Avenue

Silver City, NM 88061

(505) 388-0892

literacylinkleamos@yahoo.com  www.gilarangers.com/leamos.htm

Michelle Detterick

Program Coordinator

Spring Fling

Time to clean cupboards, closets, and garages as we lighten up and enjoy the beautiful spring weather in southwest New Mexico. The treasures you find will be great additions to our rummage sale which is once again a part of our community Celebration of Spring on April 19.

Our sale is held in the parking lot of the Chamber of Commerce on Hudson Street that serves as one entrance to the annual Main Street event.  This fundraiser is also a great opportunity to inform the public about the free tutoring service and literacy initiatives of our program.

What to donate? Any saleable item in good shape!  Collection and hours of sale will be posted in the LLL office and the tutoring room. Your help is needed!  Call today to volunteer!

Quarterly In-Service

LitStart and Move On! is the theme for our quarterly in-service this spring.  All active and prospective tutors are encouraged to attend this training on Friday, April 4, from 9:30 to 11:30 am, in the large meeting room of the Public Library.  Lunch will be provided for those who would like to stay after the training; thus registration is needed. 

LitStart is a tutor training manual that is chockfull of practical activities, tips, lists, and materials to help tutors maximize learning and minimize lesson planning.  Several experienced tutors and educators will be facilitating our discussion and study of this material. They include Karen Bryan and Joe Kryzanowski. 

This training is a valuable investment in our literacy program and what we are accomplishing in Grant County. There is no charge for the in-service and each participant will receive a LitStart manual. Call the office today for more information or to register for LitStart and Move On!

More on Why training?

    The winter issue began our list of “Why training?”- understanding of unique needs of adult learners; provides effective ways and methods of tutoring; is a “best practice” of literacy programs.  Training provides a place for mentoring of new tutors and exchanging ideas.

Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.
                                  Helen Dwyer

New Mexico Coalition for Literacy

 Make plans now to attend the statewide literacy conference on June 20, 2008.  In Socorro this year, this annual event offers a variety of workshops for tutors, volunteers, and learners of programs across New Mexico.  Learning about all of the different literacy initiatives in our state makes this a worthwhile meeting to attend and at the same time you will get better acquainted with others dedicated to increasing literacy levels.

Nmcl.org is a site chockfull of information and tips for tutors, including a great link to makebeliefscomix.com/, a tool so fun that it almost derailed the completion of this newsletter. Go have some fun!

Did you know…?

….LLL has membership status at enchantedlearning.com?

…..you really need to sign up at the library help desk to reserve the small tutoring room?

…..LLL sponsors two English conversational groups and four keyboarding classes each week? Over 22 LLL learners have received some computer instruction this program year.

Contact Michelle or Marilyn in the LLL office for the details.

Project Read  2007-08

Project Read is well on its way this year to surpassing goals and setting new marks of achievement with books distributed to local families through the Read! Start the Year Right, Love Your Library 2008, schools, and childcare centers. A generous donation from Scholastic Literacy program will help us complete Project Read 2007-08 and send kids home for their summer vacation with a book in their backpacks.

Project Read is a great tool for our program to collaborate with others in our community: teens from SHS Key Club read and LLL provided a copy of Green Eggs and Ham for the 1^st graders at Stout on Dr. Suess day; Head Start enrollees for 2008-09 will receive a book to whet their appetite for the adventure ahead; and families at the immunization clinics of the health council in April will receive an age appropriate book, from infants to school age children.

Project chair Caroline Baldwin is doing a great job! She anticipates a large order from our wonderful literacy partner First Book National Book Bank the first of April.  Call her today to see how you can help—388-8771

Coordinator’s Corner

Time is Precious…

Time Spent Volunteering

is Time Well Spent!

We have been enjoying some beautiful spring weather—the kind that makes half of the crowd at Tucson’s spring training games show up wearing a loosened tie or toting a stuffed briefcase.  From corner offices to classrooms across the nation spring fever hits and we want to play!

Volunteers, tutors, and learners breathlessly descend upon my office or our tutoring carrels having wiped the sweat of bicycling or tennis courts off as they came in the door.  Each will give the next hour its due and then resume play,go back to work, or to home and family responsibilities.

My admiration goes to each of you, dedicated volunteer especially at this time of year.  You have lots of choices on how to enjoy your time. Thank you for choosing to invest in the lives of others and of our community by volunteering with Literacy Link – Leamos.

April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month and I hope you will allow me to buy you lunch on April 4^th as part of our in-service.  If that doesn’t work for you, stop by the office soon and let me thank you personally for all you do for our literacy program.

Enjoy your day! Volunteering yields great dividends!

Michelle