When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I started on September 27, 2023

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

I have served as a tutor for Beginner and High Beginner English learners and currently facilitate a conversation group the first Friday of each month. I also support outreach at events throughout Frederick County, including the Hispanic Heritage Festival.

A meaningful experience has been seeing students achieve their goals, one became a U.S. citizen, another began college classes, and two found jobs using their English skills.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

I have learned that patience, encouragement, and consistency can greatly improve a student’s confidence. Each learner has different goals and comfort levels with English, so it is important to meet them where they are and celebrate small successes. A welcoming attitude, active listening, and visual examples can also help bridge language barriers and encourage students to take risks.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us? 

When I am not volunteering, I enjoy drawing, painting, cooking different dishes, and traveling. I enjoy exploring new places and trying new foods and recipes, which give me opportunities to learn about different cultures.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I started volunteering in February 2020 shortly after I retired. I chose to volunteer at the Literacy Council because I wanted to find a way to help others, and I felt tutoring was something I could learn to become proficient at whereas a physically demanding volunteering requirement would not be a good match for my limited motor capabilities (disability) as the result of a stroke many years ago.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

I do one-on-one ESL and basic literacy tutoring, and lead high beginner/low intermediate community conversation classes.

I have had a few meaningful experiences but not one single experience that stands out. I had a basic literacy student who was 67 years old and unable to say the alphabet when we began to work together. Upon seeing this student at one of the Baker Park summer concerts, she hugged me, danced with my wife, and happily recited the alphabet perfectly. One ESL student I have been seeing kept her head down and almost never made a sound when we first started working together. Now she greets me in clearly understandable English and asks me how I am doing.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

I have learned we need to be appreciative and understanding of the incredible pressures some of our students face in navigating in a community not of their native language. One thing I have learned is the value of sending reminder texts to students the day before a lesson with all the details of the meeting (date time, and location). Early in my tutoring, I had quite a few no-shows or very late arrivals after reserving a study room, preparing a lesson, and going to the library. I found that sending a reminder text practically eliminated no-shows and motivated the students to respond with a text if they were running late or needed to reschedule.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us? 

In addition to the Literacy Council, I volunteer at Frederick Health Hospital – at the same-day surgery desk, at the information badging desk, and I edit the volunteer auxiliary newsletter. For the Mental Health Association of Frederick County, I am a supervised visitation volunteer monitor, a role in which I record the activities and communication in visits between children and their non-residential parent.  For hobbies, I enjoy reading non-fiction, following my original hometown (Ohio) and new hometown (Maryland) sports teams, attending local shows (concerts and speaker series) at the Weinberg, the summer concert series at Baker Park, as well as concerts at the Birchmere in Alexandria and Rams Head Live On stage in Annapolis. I also like to try local restaurants and attend community festivals.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I first started volunteering with the Literacy Council of Frederick County (LCFC) in June of 2025.On social media, I had heard so much about the literacy crisis in America, and it inspired me to get involved and support my community. I wanted to make an impact while strengthening my interpersonal skills. Volunteering at LCFC felt like a meaningful way to help others while improving myself.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

At LCFC, I am a tutor and an outreach volunteer.

One meaningful experience I had was seeing my student pass her exam. It was great to be a part of her support system and witness her hard work pay off. This experience showcased the beauty of community and reminded me how meaningful it can be to support someone on their journey.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

As a volunteer, I’ve learned so much, but one perspective I’d like to share is that while volunteering is often seen as a way to help others, it is also a wonderful way to help yourself. Whether you’re looking to expand your mind, step outside your comfort zone, or even learn more about yourself, volunteering is a great way to go.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us? 

When I’m not volunteering, I enjoy running, reading, exploring new cities, and trying new restaurants.

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Kemi Gilchrist appeared first on Literacy Council Frederick County.

When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I wanted to do something useful for the community and I missed interacting with people from different cultures.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering. 

I started tutoring in 2022 and began teaching intermediate conversation classes at the LCFC office in 2023. There is no one most meaningful experience, but it has been wonderful to see a number of students improve and become more confident in their English language ability.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

That it is essential to be flexible and meet students where they are. Adult students have busy lives and teaching must adjust to each individual’s schedule, needs, and ability. Rigid curricula do not work.

I worry that the declining enrollment in in-person classes by Hispanic students represents fear in the community that should not exist among people trying to improve their lives.

One can also learn a lot about the United States by listening to students’ perspectives on the differences between the United States and their home countries, and their restaurant recommendations are great!

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us? 

I spend time with my grandchildren, do Tai Chi, play golf, walk with my dogs, and work on historical fiction novels about espionage in the early years of the United States.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I started back in 20II. Although I worked with a basic literacy student at that time, I changed to working with ESL students in 20I3. I had taught ESL Writing at the College level in Urban College, Boston and found it a very rewarding experience and wanted to work with ESL students again. I started with tutoring ESL students and then as a facilitator for a Student Led Conversation Class.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

In addition to working as an ESL coordinator, I also teach the writing classes here and the Student Led Conversation Class. I’m the founding co-editor of Reflections: Voices of English Learners.

Before Covid, my student-led class would serve meals at each session. We met for about 2 hours in person. It was fabulous realizing that we share more similarities with people from different parts of the world than differences, especially where food is concerned. It brought us all together. One student said that if she hadn’t learned English, she wouldn’t have been able to make such good friends from people around the world. Friendship building is a great motivator.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

The Literacy Council is a real community for our students. They come to class yes to gain English skills for work, and other forms of literacy like math and digital literacy, but many return because they want to see their friends. It is a safe place to tell their stories and to gain skills to make their lives better. I would recommend that teachers build a relationship with their students first because that bond is the basis for all the learning that comes later. I found that listening is the biggest technique for teaching ESL students. Get them talking and then listen to what they have to say. Give them time to formulate their thoughts.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us?

I enjoy gardening and swimming in the summer, and reading and writing on rainy days and during the winter. I am learning to knit and to play the Irish Whistle. I also enjoy dinners with my family and meeting friends for lunch.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I began volunteering with the Literacy Council in 2025. As a technology professional, I understand that literacy — both traditional and digital — is the absolute foundation of opportunity. I wanted to use my time to empower our residents, helping them break down barriers so they can confidently pursue their own goals in the community.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering. 

I volunteer by designing digital literacy curricula and teaching essential technology classes to help our community members bridge the digital divide. One of my most meaningful experiences was mentoring an adult learner who was initially intimidated by computers and guiding them through the fundamentals of safely navigating technology stack. Watching their frustration transform into sheer pride when they successfully completed their email configuration independently was an incredibly rewarding moment that highlighted the true impact of technological empowerment.

What is something that you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us? 

By day, I work as the Lead of Collaboration Engineering for the City of Baltimore, managing enterprise cloud architecture. Outside of tech, I serve as a volunteer firefighter with the New Market District Volunteer Fire Company. When I’m not working or volunteering, I enjoy writing technology articles on my blog Kbitra.Substack.com and spending time exploring local state parks with my wife and daughter.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I began volunteering last year, but my connection with the Literacy Council started earlier when I participated in several of its programs as a student. The support I received, including working with a personal coach who continues helping me advance my English skills, had a meaningful impact on my life. After experiencing that growth, I felt motivated to give back. That’s why I decided to volunteer and support others on their language journey.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

I support the Workplace Program by providing translation assistance during introductory sessions. Because I was once a student myself, I understand how important it is to clearly understand expectations. A meaningful moment for me has been helping participants feel confident and ready to start the program. Seeing their understanding and relief grow reminds me of my own journey and why this work matters.

What is something you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

I’ve learned how powerful it can be to bridge language gaps. Coming from student experience, I’ve seen how even small efforts, clarifying information, offering support, creating a welcoming space can empower someone to move forward. Volunteering has reinforced how important connection, patience, and inclusion are for building a stronger community.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, studying for my MBA, and cooking.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I started tutoring back in November of 2020 but it seems like only yesterday. I was already retired and was looking for something useful to do with some of my time. I looked up “volunteer work”, and came up with the Literacy Council. That sounded rewarding, so I signed up.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering.

I do ESL tutoring with a man from Venezuela. Our sessions have been very informal and varied. Most weeks we meet for coffee on Saturday mornings and talk about everything going on in both of our lives, the country, and the world. Rhonal and I have become like family and have shared all sorts of experiences including going to baseball games together, dinners both out and in our home, helping him with Instacart shopping, etc. I think of those as real life classes. When he makes English mistakes, I correct those and make up mini-lessons on the spot to reinforce the corrections.

I am also learning Spanish with Duolingo, and Rhonal helps me with Spanish.

What is something you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

One thing I’ve learned is how crazy English is as a language! El español es más fácil!

For Rhonal and I, our informal approach has been very enjoyable and useful. For teachers using a more structured teaching approach, I’d urge them to try some real life lessons with their students.

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us?

When I’m not volunteering, I enjoy many different activities such as learning Spanish, playing various musical instruments, crocheting, hiking, etc. My wife and I are very active in the choir of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick and other activities there.

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When did you first start volunteering with The Literacy Council of Frederick County and what made you decide to do so?

I completed my volunteer training in June 2025 after seeing a flyer for the council at a local coffee shop. I’d been searching for a meaningful way to give back to the community, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that.

What kind of volunteering do you do with us? Please describe a meaningful experience that you have had while volunteering. 

Lately I have been volunteering every other week at one of the Learning Labs, which are a new addition to the program that allow all students to receive walk-in assistance with everything from conversation practice to job applications. During one of these labs, a student came in to go over some potential interview questions for their job hunt, and we wound up chatting for the entire two hours. They told me it was the longest conversation they’d ever had in English, and that it had given them the confidence to do things like talk to doctors on their own instead of relying upon family members to interpret. It was a great reminder that literacy isn’t just something that makes day-to-day life easier for our students, but a form of empowerment and freedom that we have the honor of helping them uncover.

What is something you have learned as a volunteer for the Literacy Council that you would like to share with our volunteer community?

Whenever I use a word that I’m not sure a student knows, I try to automatically follow it up with at least one or two other ways of saying the same thing so that they get to experience new vocabulary without the confusion that can come with it. So I might say something like, “I’m feeling kind of lethargic today—so tired, it’s hard to get going. How about you?”

What do you like to do when you’re not volunteering with us?

I am the bestselling author of three adult romantic comedies, with my fourth coming out in July. When not working or volunteering, I enjoy pilates, reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with my husband, seven-year-old, and very mischievous cat, Noodle.

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If you’re having trouble figuring out how to put your spare time to good use, consider what Caroline Gaver did in 1975. She became a volunteer with the Literacy Council of Frederick County, and it’s a choice that has come to define a truly well lived life.

“I don’t believe it myself,” Caroline Gaver laughs, looking back at her 50 years as a volunteer with the Literacy Council.  “When I first volunteered, I didn’t have any intention of it being forever.  I kind of got drawn in…”  Soon enough, she was wholly immersed in the council and devoted to moving the organization into its vital future.

The hours Caroline poured into tackling numerous duties, from training tutors to serving multiple terms on the board of directors (as president, vice president, and now board member emeritus), number in the tens of thousands. She even helped found a training program to teach inmates at the Maryland Correctional Institution in Hagerstown to read and had a hand in establishing councils in other counties around the state. Her vision and commitment to the cause of literacy, and her service to the community have earned her much respect and admiration, including being named a Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism by the Community Foundation of Frederick County (2012) and winning the Governor’s Service Award for Lifetime Achievement (2015).   

Caroline’s interest in helping people learn how to read began at home, on the dairy farm she and her husband owned in Libertytown, Maryland, where she encountered farm workers who were unable to read. The desire to help led her to call the Literacy Council in 1975 for information about tutor training, and soon she was on board.  She quickly found herself assuming roles of greater responsibility. It wasn’t what she’d initially signed up for, but she put aside her reluctance “because the organization was filled with good people who gave so much of their time helping others. And the feeling of being in a family is what has kept me involved as a volunteer for so long. Being part of that caring community has been worth all the work and gives me purpose.”  

Dramatic events over the years have created new needs for the council to address, but Caroline is proud of how they’ve always found a way to meet the challenge. “When I started out, [the training] was almost all about teaching English speakers to read.” The English as a Second Language (ESL) program grew as “more people were coming to the area from Viet Nam and Southeast Asia in general.” As the need for volunteers to provide ESL tutoring grew, Caroline stepped up for ESL training as well.  (That aspect of her work became even more meaningful when she and her husband adopted three small children from Korea.)  

The Covid pandemic had the greatest effect on her experience at the council—and brought about the most change overall, she believes. “About eight of us spent months on Zoom, completely redoing the training and bringing it online for the students. Most of us didn’t really have the background or training,” she says. But somehow the volunteer tutors learned what they needed to keep the programs going forward.  

Looking at the future, her hope is that the council can avoid growing to the point that “we lose the family-feel that we have now. I hope that it remains predominantly a volunteer organization. Some [councils] have gotten away from that, and I think that’s a huge loss. Volunteerism is at the heart of what we do. It allows students to have that individual relationship with tutors, that feeling of trust and support. It’s that personal connection. That’s who we really are, and my biggest hope is that we can stay that way.”  

In thinking about the world today, Caroline says there will always be the need for the Literacy Council. “There will always be people looking for our help.” Which is why she intends to keep doing what she’s doing as a volunteer “until somebody tells me I shouldn’t.” And that is not likely to happen anytime soon.    

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