The Literacy Council is again honored to be one of 37 nonprofit organizations participating in the Unity Campaign for Frederick County, hosted by United Way of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign supports the over one in three households in Frederick County that struggle to afford basic human necessities! The campaign is focused on funding programs directly supporting the health, education, and financial stability of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households. Together, we can make a huge difference!

To donate online to the Literacy Council, please visit our Unity Campaign page. Or download the Mail-in Donation Form to send a check. You may also donate by texting UnityFC25211 to 71777.

The majority of fundraising will take place  beginning on March 5th and continuing through March 19th.  The campaign is currently accepting donations!  Please consider donating by designating the Literacy Council of Frederick County or by supporting the campaign as a whole.  Matching funds will provide more bang for your donated bucks!

The Unity Campaign is a collaborative project between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community to support our most vulnerable neighbors by giving to a nonprofit organization of your choice. Through the generosity of our Incentive Match sponsors, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the designated Nonprofit. In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.

Thanks to our media partners:

• Manning Media
• Frederick News Post
• Frederick Lifestyle

The Unity Campaign provides an efficient community-wide platform to increase awareness and raise much needed funds to support our tutoring, community classes, workplace and parent literacy programs.

Literacy is the basis for success in all other areas of life. It enables people to gain better employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care for themselves and their families.  And the children of literate parents are much more likely to succeed in school.

The 2018 Frederick Community Assessment Report conducted by the Frederick County Community Foundation identified several common stressors that negatively impacted the well-being of families.  These include financial hardship, housing and food instabilty.

ity, health issues and lack of affordable childcare. Limited literacy compounds each of these stressors, erecting a barrier that severely limits the financial options of a family. While these are multifaceted and complex issues, adult literacy is the one factor that can have a positive impact across the board.

Visit Unity Campaign  to learn more about the campaign.

The post Support Literacy in Frederick County: 2025 Unity Campaign appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

The Literacy Council is again honored to be one of 36 nonprofit organizations participating in the Unity Campaign for Frederick County, hosted by United Way of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign supports the over one in three households in Frederick County that struggle to afford basic human necessities! The campaign is focused on funding programs directly supporting the health, education, and financial stability of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households. Together, we can make a huge difference!

To donate online to the Literacy Council, please visit our Unity Campaign page. Or download the Mail-in Donation Form to send a check. You may also donate by texting Unity2024 to 71777.

The majority of fundraising will take place  beginning on March 6th and continuing through March 20th.  The campaign is currently accepting donations!  Please consider donating by designating the Literacy Council of Frederick County or by supporting the campaign as a whole.  Matching funds will provide more bang for your donated bucks!

The Unity Campaign is a collaborative project between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community to support our most vulnerable neighbors by giving to a nonprofit organization of your choice. Through the generosity of our Incentive Match sponsors, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the designated Nonprofit. In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.

Thanks to our media partners:

• Manning Media
• Frederick News Post

The Unity Campaign provides an efficient community-wide platform to increase awareness and raise much needed funds to support our tutoring, community classes, workplace and parent literacy programs.

Literacy is the basis for success in all other areas of life. It enables people to gain better employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care for themselves and their families.  And the children of literate parents are much more likely to succeed in school.

The 2018 Frederick Community Assessment Report conducted by the Frederick County Community Foundation identified several common stressors that negatively impacted the well-being of families.  These include financial hardship, housing and food instability, health issues and lack of affordable childcare. Limited literacy compounds each of these stressors, erecting a barrier that severely limits the financial options of a family. While these are multifaceted and complex issues, adult literacy is the one factor that can have a positive impact across the board.

Visit https://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/unity-campaign  to learn more about the campaign.

The post 2024 Unity Campaign appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

Article written by Lynn (Linda) Bruton, the Literacy Council’s volunteer Basic Literacy Program Coordinator following her participation in this conference.

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education is the voice of adult basic education nationwide. With more than 15,000 members, its stated mission is to advance national and international adult education and literacy opportunities through initiatives in the workforce, digital technology and adult literacy. Each year, COABE sponsors a national conference, and this year—in partnership with, the Maryland Association for Adult, Community, and Continuing Education (MAACCE)—the conference went totally online.

The virtual conference hosted over 420 sessions and networking events. For eight days, over 3,150 members participated, along with hundreds of commercial product sponsors. Thanks to connecting technology, over 20,000 public literacy conversations were held online and more than 1,250,000 pages were viewed! And thanks again to the virtual environment, these information-packed sessions will be available for members to view for the next six months.

I–along with other Literacy Council of Frederick County staff and volunteers—can state with absolute conviction that the conference was a total success. While the opportunity for F2F networking was lost, participants attended sessions from the comfort of their own homes, freed from the hassle and expense of commuting and parking, knowing they were following COVID health and safety protocols.

Session Insights

As I built my personal conference schedule, I selected sessions that targeted adult learners, learning differences, high school equivalency programs, and improving the skills of Basic Literacy learners (native English speakers). Below are some of the insights gained from the many varied presentations.

• Literacy experts today recommend focusing reading and language instruction in the areas of communication, civics, digital learning, financial literacy, health literacy, workforce preparation, and 21^st century skills. It was great to realize that these are the very content areas that the LCFC emphasizes with our students and tutors!
•  I was guided to the site at the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy (CSAL) that provided surveys that will improve LCFC’s Basic Literacy learner intake process by identifying the student familiarity with computers and to help isolate reading patterns. I was also able to download a sample reading list written in Noah Text which will also become a staple for the Basic Literacy learner intake process at the Literacy Council.
• Tutors at the Literacy Council will benefit from future professional development sessions describing how to tailor lesson content to improve memory retention. These include using instructional material with dramatic, emotional, auditory, and visual impact; focusing on need, novelty, and meaning to get students’ attention. “Without attention there is no retention!”

• A state-sponsored study showed that group settings can help to create feelings of mutual support for many Basic Literacy Program learners. LCFC will explore the feasibility of setting up online (and eventually F2F) group classes for Basic Literacy learners to complement the successful ESL classes already being conducted online.

• Student goals should be framed in the context of a skill or task. Make learning personalized by creating an immediate application (contextualization). Don’t set the bar too low. Lessons should be challenging but achievable.

• The LCFC will continue to explore opportunities to partner with agencies, such as the National External Diploma Program, to increase effectiveness in meeting community-wide needs. For example, the LCFC could mentor NEDP applicants who cannot meet the CASAS 9^th grade reading and math pre-qualification level for that organization.
• Students will be more likely to seek help from our organization if they can see themselves in our marketing information. “Typical student personas” that reflect two or three primary types of people seeking help have been effective with many organizations in allowing potential clients to “see themselves” in a new light.

• Smart phones are the technology of today, and online marketing and content lessons should be able to be accessed easily on phone-based social media and apps.
• As recommended by the COABE, the LCFC is encouraging tutors to introduce blended learning into their lessons IF the student is able. Even after the safety precautions of the pandemic are recalled, a combination of online and face-to-face learning will increase progress. Research studies have shown that blended instruction is more effective than just in-person or just online instruction.

Jennifer Szabo, Program Manager, shared the following observations about the conference discussions: “The COABE conference solidified the benefits of, and crucial need for, digital literacy skills. As the conference allowed us to connect and learn virtually, we experienced some of fear and frustration that our students may have with venturing into new territory with technology. We know that digital literacy skills provide additional learning opportunities, equip our students to prepare and advance in the job market, and empower them to navigate through their daily lives with independence. What an amazing opportunity we have to learn along with our students and create new avenues for sharing, connecting, and learning!”

The Literacy Council participates in adult literacy conferences each year to make available professional development opportunities for staff and volunteers, network with other adult literacy providers and learn about best practices in the field of adult literacy. 

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The Literacy Council’s Scrabble® Mania Online Auction for Literacy opens for bidding at noon Sunday, May 17 through 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23! Normally held as a silent auction during our annual Scrabble® Mania for Literacy fundraiser, the event had to be cancelled due to the current COVID-19 public health crisis.

The proceeds from this auction will support our tutoring, community classes, parent and workplace literacy programs, so our adult learners gain the fundamental reading and other English language skills that are critical to carrying out everyday life functions to provide for their families and contribute to the well-being and prosperity of our community.

Please help us reach our goal of $8,000!

We wish we could thank our Scrabble® participants, sponsors and silent auction contributors in person, but please view our sincere appreciation to all in our special Tribute Book.

AUCTION DETAILS

Silent Auction Dates: Sunday, May 17 LIVE at 12 noon through Saturday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Silent Auction Online Site: Visit our site through Bidding Owl to view over 90 featured items! Beginning Sunday, May 17 through Saturday, May 23rd, you can bid on items that include dining, winery and brewery tours and tastings, art, crafts, sports, and travel!

BIDDER REGISTRATION AND TIPS

GETTING STARTED
1) Go to the Literacy Council’s Scrabble® Mania Online Auction for Literacy

Direct link: https://www.biddingowl.com/Auction/home.cfm?auctionID=13663

You are welcome to freely review auction items at any time.  If you forget to register ahead of time, you will be directed to register as a bidder or sign in as a bidder the first time you place a bid.

2) Click on Register (top right corner of our Bidding Owl page) and follow the short registration process. If you are registering from your mobile phone, click on the menu button and select Register.

3) You will be directed to your email to confirm your registration. Once you have confirmed, then sign back in as a bidder and continue bidding.

BIDDING
1) Browse the Categories in our auction.
2) Select the item you would like to bid on.
3) Enter correct Bid Amount into the field provided
4) Click Bid and Confirm Bid
5) Congratulations, you are the current High Bidder for the item!

ACCESSING YOUR BIDDINGOWL.COM ACCOUNT ANYTIME

1) Enter www.BiddingOwl.com into your browser’s address field
2) Click on Bidder Sign In (at top of the page)
3) Enter your Email login and Password to review your account
​- View your Bid Status and Bid History by clicking on My Bids

GOOD TO KNOW
– In order to receive Text Message Notifications, enter your telephone number under Account Details.   You will receive Text messages when you’ve been outbid.

ONLINE CHECK OUT
1) Log into your Bidder Account to view your Bidder History
2) Click on the Shopping Cart in the top right corner of the page and follow the short checkout process. Only items that you’ve WON can be checked out.

Note: Additional instructions will be provided about the checkout process at the end of the auction.

Contact us at info@frederickliteracy.org or (301) 600-2066 with any questions.

RECEIVING YOUR ITEMS

Shipping & Handling Notice due to COVID-19: We are a non-profit serving Frederick County, Maryland. All gift certificates will be mailed. Unfortunately, we cannot ship other items. LCFC will make arrangements with winning bidders to pick up their items locally in a manner that respects social distancing. We will consider local deliveries on a case by case basis. Thank you.

Looking for other ways to support our students and programs?

Donate now to support our Spring Literacy Campaign. Give the gift of literacy today!

The post Scrabble® Mania Online Auction May 17-23 appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

The Literacy Council is celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week April 19-25 by paying tribute to our 150+ wonderful long-time and new volunteers!  You know what it takes to serve our community seven days a week.

Today, the adult learners we support through our adult literacy programs are facing even greater obstacles than ever before during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 public health emergency – including unemployment, loss of income, health risks, challenges accessing food and other basic essentials, supporting their children’s education from home.

Our volunteers are rising to meet the challenge! Great things are happening at the Literacy Council as you continue to serve our students using any and all means to provide support as our tutoring and class instruction programs transition to using multiple online platforms that support distance learning!

Thank you for embracing change. Thank you for being a trusted and devoted source of information for your students. Thank you for your willingness to learn, serve, and engage in new ways.

Whether you are volunteering in the office (remotely now!), coordinating our tutors and students, tutoring your students weekly, teaching classes, serving as a member of our board of directors, training tutors, helping with community outreach, serving on one of our many committees, maintaining our computers, supporting our Scrabble Mania for Literacy fundraiser, writing grants, or any of the many other volunteer tasks, we couldn’t meet our community’s needs without you!

In honor of our Literacy Council volunteers, we invite you to watch this special Literacy Council Volunteer Appreciation video we created for YOU, Our Superheroes!!

On behalf of my fellow members of the Board of Directors, I want to express our deep appreciation for your amazing work and commitment to our students.  You truly are making a real difference in their lives.  I always say to anyone I meet that our community’s commitment to service is extraordinary and it is because of folks like you!

Richard Haney, President, Board of Directors

To learn more about how the Literacy Council is responding, check out our COVID-19 Updates Page

The post Volunteer Appreciation Week: Celebrating Our Superheroes appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

February 5, 2020: Delaplaine Arts Center

The Board of Directors hosted an evening reception on February 5th to celebrate the numerous Friends of the Literacy Council whose support enables the organization to provide essential literacy services for the community.

Richard Haney, Board President, welcomed the representatives from Frederick County and Frederick City leadership, community business, foundation and nonprofit partners attending the reception whose deep commitment makes the Frederick community strong.

Our Programs

Laurie Fisher, Executive Director, shared program highlights as a “sneak preview” for the upcoming annual June Celebration of Achievements. She asked the audience to consider these questions while sharing a “snapshot” of current programs:

How does literacy impact our community?

What knowledge and skills do adults need to apply to real life situations in order to function as an employee, parent and community member?

This past year, 241 volunteers contributed 15,342 hours, dedicating their time and expertise to the following programs:

One-on-One Tutoring: 164 volunteers: 188 adult learners

Tutors reported multiple life skills achievements for their students: got a job or a better job, improved job or employability skills, received GED or other secondary school credential, entered other education and/or training, improved scores on standardized text, advanced level in curriculum series, obtained citizenship, earned driver’s license, registered to vote/voted for the first time, increased involvement in community activities, increased involvement in children’s educational activities, attained consumer skills or healthy/wellness lifestyles, or other personal goals.

Community Classes: 132 adult learners: 44 classes (students attend multiple sessions)

Classes included beginning literacy, conversation, pronunciation, writing and U.S. Civics during winter, spring, summer and fall sessions  taught by volunteer instructors!

New!! Parent Literacy Program: 17 tutors in 3 Title I Schools: 23 parents (2019-2020 academic year)

The Literacy Council is working directly with the Judy Center, and Frederick County Public School family liaison coordinators at Hillcrest, Lincoln and Waverley Elementary Schools to provide tutoring support  and a conversation class for mothers at Waverley.  In addition, Literacy Council representatives are supporting parents at Family Literacy events, back to school nights, parent conferences, and parent/child playgroup reading events.  Parents referred by YMCA’s Head Start program are also receiving assistance.

New!! Workplace Literacy Classes: 4 weekly classes for hospitality & restaurant workers from 5 hotels, 3 restaurants (FY2019-2020)

Since Fall 2018, the Literacy Council has been conducting classes for hospitality workers from Econo Lodge Frederick.  In September a new class began for restaurant workers from downtown Frederick restaurants – Firestone’s, Sumittra Thai Cuisine and Lazy Fish – conducted by two volunteer instructors.  The employees are enthusiastic and are attending consistently.

January launched a new collaboration with Plamondon Hospitality Partners to conduct two weekly classes for hospitality associates from four Marriott hotels.  We are working with a terrific team, including Leah Knecht, Talent Manager (who was in attendance at the reception) and Michael Henningsen, Executive Vice President of Operations.

Holly Bohman and Rosibel Cano, Parent Literacy Program volunteers, as well as Kim Brown, Workplace Literacy Program Coordinator, and Jennifer Szabo, Program Manager, were recognized for their work developing and supporting these new initiatives.

 Our Students

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet some of the Literacy Council’s amazing students both in person, and by sharing the inspiring and heartwarming stories from 30 students featured in the second edition of Reflections – Voices of English Learners.

Catherine Coundjeris and Julie Heifetz, volunteer co-editors of Reflections, and Betsy Maymon, volunteer graphic designer, were recognized along with sponsors Jane and John Ketchem, and Curious Iguana Bookstore.

A special video greeting from Literacy Council students shared reflections on their involvement with the organization and gave their thanks for helping to make these programs possible.

The Campaign for Literacy Giving Societies

Rich acknowledged the Literacy Council’s supporters who were recognized in the printed program as members of the Literacy Council’s Giving Societies named in honor of three remarkable women. Dolly Engle and Kay Mackley founded the Literacy Council of Frederick County in 1963, and Caroline Gaver, our long-time President, now Board Member-Emeritus. The Board of Directors recently established The Campaign for Literacy Giving Societies  to recognize the generosity of individuals, businesses, foundations and community organizations whose support enables us to fulfill our mission.

Friends of the Literacy Council were also recognized for their lifetime giving in the Leadership and Recognition Giving Societies and those who have designated the Literacy Council in their estates through the Legacy Giving Society.    THANK YOU for your support – it means so much to all of us, and our community! Caroline Gaver was applauded by the audience and Board of Directors in recognition of her 45 years as a Literacy Council volunteer!

Learn more about ways to support the Literacy Council’s mission and programs. Please contact Laurie Fisher, Executive Director, at (301) 600-2066 or lauriefisher@frederickliteracy.org for more information.

Many thanks to The ARC of Frederick County for preparing delicious appetizers for the evening,

and Zacht Studios for contributing the video editing services. 

The post Board of Directors Celebrate Friends of the Literacy Council appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

On October 28, 2019, 70+ nonprofit organizations from throughout the Greater Washington Region, including the Literacy Council, were featured at an exhilarating evening #BeAChangemaker event at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center!  Over 400 members of the philanthropic community enthusiastically engaged with nonprofit representatives throughout the evening, learning about their work through interactive and experiential exhibits.

Literacy Council volunteer and student Silvia Muñoz Moreyra, Board President Richard Haney and Executive Director Laurie Fisher interacted with the audience, showcasing the Literacy Council’s programs.  This included student examples from The Game of Life which was developed to demonstrate literacy-related challenges that adult learners face when working to gain English language proficiency or reading skills.

The Literacy Council was selected by the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington to be part of its Class of 2019-20 after undergoing a rigorous review by a team of experts to meet the Catalogue’s high standards. This year the Catalogue celebrates its 17th anniversary; since its inception it has raised $40 million for nonprofits in the region. It also offers trainings and neighborhood-based opportunities for collaboration. Potential donors can be confident that the nonprofits in the Catalogue are worthy of their support.

78 D.C.-area nonprofits, including the Literacy Council of Frederick County, are featured in the 2019-2020 print edition. Another 36 nonprofits will be re-featured on its website. The Catalogue’s entire network now includes 400+ vetted nonprofits working in the arts, education, environment, and human services sectors throughout Greater Washington.

The post Literacy Council Joins Changemakers 2019 at Arena Stage! appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

The post Students Featured at “Reflections: Voices of English Learners” Special Event appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

On June 11, the Literacy Council of Frederick County celebrated the many accomplishments of its adult learners, volunteer service, and testimonials about the Council’s new workplace literacy and parent outreach programs.

Catherine Cox, Board President, opened the evening with the announcement that the Literacy Council has been selected by the Catalogue for Philanthropy Greater Washington for its 2019/2020 class as “one of the best community-based nonprofits in the region

The highlight of the evening was witnessing students being applauded for achieving multiple milestones this past year — becoming U.S. citizens, passing the test for a Maryland driver’s license, moving to better housing, helping to support their children’s education needs, volunteering in a school or other community organization, improving English language skills in order to obtain a better job, completing a writing or conversation class, advancing in a curriculum series or gaining a higher reading level.

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner addressed the audience about the value of cooperation between nonprofit organizations, local businesses, schools and government. She presented several special commendations, including recognizing student Karina for becoming a U.S. Citizen.

Rupali Luthra, General Manager for Econo Lodge Frederick was recognized for her leadership in hosting the Council’s first workplace class for hospitality workers. She addressed the audience describing the positive impact the class has had on her employees and guests. Econo Lodge was awarded the Council’s Business & Industry Partners in Literacy Award.

Shockley Honda, represented by Marisa Shockley and Kara Murray, was also presented with the Council’s Business & Industry Partners in Literacy Award for supporting adult literacy programs through its annual sponsorship of the Literacy Council.

Kathy Allen, Program Administrator for the Judy Center with Frederick County Public Schools, shared about the importance of supporting parents of young children – and the benefits of the Literacy Council’s new tutoring initiative to reach parents.

Elizabeth Brady was honored with the Elizabeth H. Seligmann Award, given to volunteers for sustained and significant contributions furthering the goals and objectives of the Literacy Council. For 35 years, Liz’s contributions are extensive — tutoring multiple students for many years, serving as a tutor trainer, on the Board of Directors and conducting information sessions to recruit new volunteers. Her student Renu helped present the award.  “Elizabeth Brady is not only a great teacher but also has become a very good friend. Before she started teaching me, I was not able to understand, speak or express my feelings in English. Her teaching and personal care really boosted my confidence and change my life. Last year she helped me to get volunteer work at a daycare, which was really a great experience that eventually helped me to get a full-time job in a preschool a few months ago. “

Literacy Council volunteers were recognized for their many hours and years of service contributed over the year – check HERE for a full listing of our volunteers who were recognized this year!

To learn more about the Literacy Council or to find out how to become a volunteer, visit the website www.frederickliteracy.org.

The post 2019 Celebration of Achievements appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

On April 6, 2019, Literacy Council of Frederick County representatives participated at the MDTESOL Western MD Mini Conference, The Wonderful World of Writing for ELs (English learners) held at Frederick Community College.

Holly Bohman and Lurlena Burnett attended break-out sessions to learn more techniques for tutoring their students.  Marianne Dacey and Nan Crockett staffed a table sharing the work of the Council with interested educators.

Catherine Coundjeris, the Council’s volunteer writing class instructor, led a break-out session at the Conference entitled, “Engaging Adult Learners Through Writing” where she shared the Council’s experiences producing and launching its new literary magazine Reflections: Voices of English Learners which features the work and life experiences of adult learners Jacqueline Badro, Jinjin Cai, and Silvia Muñoz Moreyra — who each read their stories from the first issue of Reflections.

Participants also learned about the Council’s writing program and the philosophy of using literature to model good writing.  Lesson planning and ways to study grammar alongside paragraph structure was discussed. Attendees explored the steps to writing a model paragraph and developing a lesson plan, and participants received handouts with resource materials and a digital copy of Reflections.

Participants were especially impressed with the personal attention that the Council’s students receive in small classes and individual tutoring, and excited about using some of the scaffolding during the writing process presented to them during the session.  MDTESOL has invited Catherine to submit a proposal for their 39^th Annual Fall Conference at Prince George’s Community College!

Key Note Speaker Darcy Scott presented on the topic  “Extreme Differentiation for Writing and Grammar”.  Following the conference Darcy was invited to conduct a Professional Development Session for Literacy Council tutors.  Darcy targeted her session to helping Literacy Council tutors with teaching strategies, involving cloze activities and educational games to help students grapple with grammar structures.

MDTESOL is a professional nonprofit association dedicated to the improvement and advancement of teaching English to speakers of other languages.

The post Literacy Council Participates in Western Maryland TESOL Conference appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.