Play Scrabble for a Good Cause

For nine years, participants in GHCC's Scrabble® Fundraiser for Literacy have gathered in the spirit of fun and games to support a good cause – fighting adult illiteracy in Baltimore City. This year marks the event’s tenth anniversary and with an estimated 100 players planning to attend, promises to be the best one yet with live music, a silent auction, food, beer, wine, and fun.

Over the years, the Scrabble® Fundraiser for Literacy has been attended by a wide range of Scrabble® lovers and even reunited friends and neighbors who had no idea of each other's dedication to GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Program. GHCC recently caught up with veteran player and former literacy tutor Nancy Spritz, who fondly remembers the Scrabble® parties of years past and also talks a bit about why she continues to support the work we do.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to the Adult Literacy & ESOL Program.

I became an Adult Literacy volunteer tutor several years ago and continued for a few years. Unfortunately, I had to stop volunteering, but I have remained very supportive of GHCC

You’ve participated in the Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy since it started in 2002 (only missing two years!). What keeps you coming back each year?

I love Scrabble and I love reading, so I feel strongly about developing literacy for adult learners—what a perfect combination and what a great way to raise money for a worthwhile cause! So much better than going to a fancy charity dinner!

What was the most inspirational moment in all your years of participating in this event?

Seeing so many people—more and more each year—dedicated to this cause, doing something intellectual, and having a great time, too. And the competitive Scrabble players are also awesome and inspirational—I can’t get close to their level!

What is your favorite memory from past years of the Scrabble Fundraiser (if it’s different)?

I won the 50/50 raffle two years in a row! Also, my 87 year old mother came with me for several years, and my son joined me a few times too.

What would you say to anyone considering attending the event as a player/participant?

You don’t have to be a good or even regular Scrabble player; there are all levels of players and everyone there will be patient and kind about your abilities. You’ll meet people from all walks of life, do something different and educational, and in the process you’ll support a meaningful, worthwhile, important organization that makes Baltimore City a better place!

As the first participant to register for the Scrabble Party, what do you look forward to with this year’s anniversary celebration?

More and more interesting people, good food, stimulating wordplay, and neat prizes. I always look forward to seeing the people that I met in the first few years, like the sweet little ladies from the Liberty Road Senior Center who can beat the pants off me!

Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 in support of the Literacy Program. What would you say to encourage anyone considering a donation or sponsorship?

You will be contributing to a hands-on organization which helps individuals directly and substantially, and you can be assured that your limited charitable dollars will be doing the greatest good.

Hope to see you there!

Come and play on Saturday, March 26 at Calvert School's atrium. We'll host informal pickup games from 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. and two competetive formal rounds for prizes. Tickets are $50 per player ($40 for students or 62+). All proceeds support GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Program. Register here.

Advocating for Adult Education On and Off the Job

February always has us watching the state budget process. While we've been spreading the word about the Baltimore Education Coalition's campaign to prevent cuts to public education funding, you might not know that the Governor's budget affects our Adult Literacy & ESOL Program as well.

Recently we caught up with Adult Literacy & ESOL Program Director Todd Elliott to talk to him about his work at GHCC and on the state level as an advocate for adult education. Todd has worked at GHCC for the past 10 years, and in addition to his efforts here he serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education (a volunteer role).

What is MAACCE, and what is your current role? How long have you been involved with the organization?

MAACCE is the Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education, a statewide professional group that supports adult educators and adult education advocates. Our mission is to provide leadership for those interested in advancing education as a lifelong process, touching adult learning in literacy, GED, family literacy, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), and correctional education. This has traditionally included professional development (primarily through an annual conference) and advocacy.

I’ve been a member of MAACCE since I started teaching adult education in 1997, and I joined the Board of Directors in 2007. In July 2009 I became President of the Board of Directors, and I’m currently serving a second term.

Playing this role at a state level isn’t in your job description, but it’s clearly related—what makes it so important to you, even at times when you’re swamped with work at the Program?

We frequently get very focused on our day-to-day operations, managing individual programs. It’s the syndrome of always putting out fires. Yet there’s a bigger picture to what we do, and I’ve appreciated being part of making a wider impact. We have a relatively small program at GHCC, so it doesn’t always feel like a significant dent in the need in Maryland. The work MAACCE does touches so many more teachers—and subsequently adult learners—than I could possibly do daily in north Baltimore. And ultimately GHCC benefits from those efforts, particularly through the professional development opportunities afforded by MAACCE and our general advocacy efforts to sustain support.

Tell us about the advocacy work MAACCE is doing now. What’s at stake this year?

Just about every year—and even more so recently—budgetary concerns have us on the edge of our seats. Very few things are safe in Annapolis, so we pay attention to what Governor O’Malley and his cabinet are doing. We spend time communicating our learners’ successes and needs to our elected officials. The more we can focus their attention on the power of adult education—and how their decisions impact the lives of so many Marylanders—the more likely it is that we can sustain funding.

It does not appear there will be great stressors on adult education funding in 2011, and we thank Governor O’Malley and the House and Senate leadership for their continued support of our efforts. It has been very clear over the past few years that the Governor continues to value the connections between getting people better skills through our educational efforts and being effective citizens and strong workers.

We also have to pay attention at the federal level—our primary funding there is through the 1998 Adult Education & Family Literacy Act, tied to the Workforce Investment Act. This federal legislation hasn’t been on the block for a dozen years, and while it’s been suggested that it would be up for review numerous times, Congress always puts it on the back-burner. The chance of it gaining some momentum with the newly elected House, though, remains to be seen. At this point we’re more concerned about President Obama’s proposed domestic spending freeze!

What’s the one thing you want the average person to hear about these issues? Why should we get involved, even if it’s just to send a postcard to our congressperson?

Adult education, especially ESOL in other parts of Maryland, has a huge impact on our everyday lives. Helping more people become better educated opens their eyes to a broader world, prepares them to be stronger citizens and community members, and better prepares them for the work world.

All of these elements contribute to strengthening our communities, yet there’s too much to do. Current programs don’t have enough support to reach all those in need. To reduce current wait lists and really make an impact on our neighborhoods we need a significant influx of funds, preferably with a balance of federal, state and local support—something that currently does not currently exist in many of our jurisdictions.

How can someone reading this get involved if they want to make a difference?

While MAACCE is professional association for those working in adult education, I would encourage people to contact a local program—like GHCC’s Adult Literacy Program!—and volunteer or donate. Most programs around the state also rely on a myriad of partners, so if there’s someone out there who knows of a program that could lend support we can put them in touch. We could also use help contacting local and state officials and encourage them to support our efforts.

Another Adult Education Success Story

It can be difficult to get started on a Monday, but sharing good news always helps! Today we received an inspiring success story full of praise for our Adult Literacy & ESOL Program:

“James” found out about the Greater Homewood Adult Literacy & ESOL Program by word of mouth, and he claims it was the best thing that ever happened in his tumultuous life. On an educational roller coaster ride trying to get his high school diploma, James had been searching for a program that paid close attention to his needs. His eyes were moist and his voice cracked as he recently asked to speak to his instructor in private. He had this to say:

I’ve been to at least four other GED programs over the years, and this is the only program where I feel like I’m going to get what I need.

At all the other programs the teachers just shoved a copy of some work or other at you, and left it up to you to sink or swim. They didn’t assist you if you had a question, they sat and read the newspaper, or they talked on their cell phones until class was over. I really feel like I can learn here because the instructors teach by taking you step by step through the learning process.

We’d say James got what he needed from GHCC’s Adult Literacy program—just eight months after finding us, he called with the wonderful news that he had received his high school diploma! Congratulations to James, and kudos to the teachers and tutors who never lose sight of what's most important: our learners and their continued success.

Did you know that nearly one-third of adults in Baltimore lack a high school diploma? Without that education, they struggle to support their families and participate activity in their community. If you know folks like James who would benefit from reading and math classes, please encourage them to call 410-261-3524 for information on upcoming enrollment.

My Tribute to Mary: A Role Model of Persistence

Persistence is defined as “permanence by virtue of the power to resist stress or force; determination, resolution, pluck, stamina, grit, endurance, tenacity, diligence.”

This defines Mary. She was a strong senior citizen determined to get her education.

Enrolled at the Greater Homewood Adult Literacy & ESOL Program since 2008, Mary entered my Reading and Math Classes in September 2009. She worked hard until health issues forced her to take a break from classes. Diligent Mary continued to study at home for several months. We spoke by phone on a number of occasions.

Mary persevered and entered my Reading class in April. I felt the class was too long for her, so I negotiated to establish academic time on Mondays and Wednesdays for brief one-on-one sessions. She agreed! Whew! We met from mid-April to mid-May, until Mary was hospitalized.

She passed away on May 31. I went to her viewing and met her beautiful daughters. Her daughter shared conversations of her final hours with her mom and in doing so, she gave me a precious, precious gift.

Mary has left an educational legacy that speaks to us all: “Pursue your dreams in spite of the challenges and struggles. Press on! Never quit!”

I dearly loved my student and friend, Mary.

She will be deeply missed.

Shared from my heart,

Connie T. Moore, M.Ed, C.A.F.E.

ABE Instructor 

To learn more about how you can get involved with GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Programs, contact Jannette Seman at jseman@greaterhomewood.org or 410-261-0023

Celebrating Literacy and People

Submitted by Jaclyn Paul, Program Assistant for Development and Administration


Last week, I was asked to wear my photographer hat and volunteer my services at our 20th Annual Literacy Celebration.   More than 160 program volunteers, current and former staff, learners, and partners came out to recognize the wonderful work GHCC's Adult Literacy and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Program is doing.  I'd like to share a few of my favorite moments from the event in the form of a short photo essay.





I felt fortunate for the opportunity to see these heartfelt performances from the Greenmount Senior Center Dance Team.



Without meeting them in person, it's hard to convey just how strong the tutor-learner bond can be.  Seeing tutors speak about their learners—and vice versa—brought home to me how much these pairs become like family, completely invested in reaching a shared goal.



The first photo doesn't do it justice, so I just have to highlight the butterfly wings learner Ruby used to represent the changes she's undergone in her life since coming to the Literacy Program.



Our VISTA members have shared a lot of stories on this blog lately, but sometimes we forget how much impact they have on our staff.  Here, Special Literacy Projects VISTA Cyndel Taylor (shown receiving flowers) receives a big thank you from Program Director Todd Elliott and Assistant Director Kim Bosworth.

To see more photos from the evening, check out our albums on Facebook or Flickr.

Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy: An Evening Not to be Missed!

Here at GHCC we're getting ready one of our very favorite events: the Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy on March 27.  This is our ninth year hosting the tournament, which includes a light fare buffet, prizes, and both competitive and social brackets of play.  Haven't checked it out yet?  Download our registration flyer or visit our Facebook event for more details.

Today, we asked volunteer Dave Engelhardt to tell us about how he got involved with GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Program.  We'll give you a hint: it had something to do with Scrabble!

I’ve been involved with the Greater Homewood Adult Literacy & ESOL Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy every year since the beginning in 2001.  The first year, I participated as a player.  Afterward, I volunteered as a literacy tutor at GHCC, and since then I have been involved in the organizing and planning  the Scrabble event. 

For me, it’s always an enjoyable evening!  It’s an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones.  There’s always plenty of food and it’s an opportunity to play my favorite word game.  I highly recommend it to anyone, whether you’ve only played Scrabble a couple of times at home with family or if you are a club and tournament player.  It doesn’t matter, because you can play at whatever level you are comfortable with and have an enjoyable evening and at the same time contribute to the Adult Literacy & ESOL Program at GHCC. 

Players face off at the 2009 Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy

Read Across America Day at Barclay Elementary/Middle

Submitted by Vanessa Schaefer

The unheard-of amount of snow that had paralyzed the city for weeks had thrown us off of our carefully plotted timeline. Now members of the staff of Barclay Elementary/Middle School and GHCC had only one week to finish putting together a day-long event and press conference. Read Across America Day is a celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and of reading in general, every year on March 2. Barclay celebrates this with zeal, but this year had an additional benefit and stressor added: Dr. Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Schools and Dr. Ron Daniels, President of Johns Hopkins University, were having a press conference at the school the same day to announce a new volunteering partnership between JHU and City Schools.

Obviously, we saw how great this could be for Barclay.  In addition to having guest readers councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, Rabbi Panitz of Bolton St. Synagogue, Sanford Ungar, President of Goucher College, and other admirable public figures in Baltimore, we would have Dr. Alonso and the press there, too.  This fact soon became a “for better or worse” statement. Everyone was working hard, but it seemed that as soon as plans were solidified, they needed to be changed. Time was a factor, as was location, length of time spent, and classes considered and mapped for the day.

Everything was a flurry of activity, but just when it seemed like there was too much to do and too little time to do it, volunteers showed up in spades. The Johns Hopkins Women’s Club has always volunteered in the library, their work being the basis of what keeps it alive. This time, they showed up bearing enough food and drinks to provide snacks for Read Across America for the entire population of the school—and then some! Other volunteers that work with Barclay’s Story Pals program showed up to do any work necessary, including moving boxes of books all over the school, and to read to classes during empty time slots, exciting the students with their expert, engaging public reading skills.

Left to right: City Schools' Michael Sarbanes, City Schools CEO Dr. Andres Alonso, and Principal Jenny Heinbaugh

So the day came and went with all of us on our feet and the last strands of our sanity. It was exhausting, but it went off without incident. In fact, it was amazing. I went home that day pleased, but wanting to go to bed and stay there for a week. Fortunately, I dragged myself to the gym, and while running stoically and watching the news, I saw the event covered on the 5 o’clock Channel 11 News! Students that I knew, that I had worked with all day, were being interviewed! I couldn’t stop smiling and I started to laugh while still running on the treadmill, unaware of what kind of scene this might be for my fellow gym patrons. The way it made me feel to know that the event went well, and that the students would see themselves on TV and be proud to have been a part of it, all of this is what drives me every day to keep working behind the scenes. If my face is never on that screen, I won’t worry about it; but if I can keep helping facilitate positive events that enrich people’s lives, well that’s a reason to keep moving.

Barclay Principal Jenny Heinbaugh and President Sanford Ungar of Goucher College.  President Ungar read to children as part of Read Across America Day

Volunteering With GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Program

Submitted by Mary Kay Shock

I became involved with the Greater Homewood Literacy program 10 years ago when I retired. Greater Homewood Community Corporation seemed like a good local place to volunteer. Since I have a degree in literature, tutoring adults is a great fit for my skill-set. The regularly scheduled sessions give structure and a sense of purpose to my daily life after my retirement. The staff of the literacy program partnered me with learners whose schedules matched mine. The program also provided training, teaching materials, consultation and support from Greater Homewood Community Corporation’s friendly, expert staff.

The students I have worked with, since I began volunteering with Greater Homewood Community Corporation ten years ago, have become my friends. Every learner I have worked with is different and unique. One of my students could neither read nor write. We worked together for five years and by the end of our partnership he had become an American citizen with a full time job. The Greater Homewood Community Corporation Literacy program taught him how to read, write, and use a computer. These tools helped make him a successful American citizen.

A female student I worked with improved both her reading and writing skills. She even wrote two books of poems with her newly acquired knowledge! The man I am currently working with has improved in reading, spelling and math. He has achieved his goal of learning cursive writing.
Greater Homewood is a safe, convenient neighborhood with easy access to public transportation, stores, churches, libraries, cultural events, and volunteer opportunities. It truly is a great place to live.

GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Program is seeking volunteers!  If you would like to tutor an adult basic education or ESOL learner, contact Jannette Seman at 410-261-0023.

Byron Pitts: Stepping Out on Nothing

Also in recognition of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, check out this great story from CBS News, where Byron Pitts talks about his own struggles with illiteracy and interviews several others who have faced similar challenges:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

Submitted by Todd Elliott

“Adult education” means many things to many people. To some it’s about yoga and Spanish classes at a local community college. To those of us in the professional field of adult literacy the phrase refers to a wide range of options in the continuum of lifelong learning: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), basic education, GED test preparation, the External Diploma Program, and family literacy. And it goes beyond that – many adult literacy programs include computer instruction, workforce and employability assistance, and financial literacy.

Congress recently passed House Resolution 707 declaring this week of October 18 to 24, 2009 “National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week." As this issue is very close to our hearts at Greater Homewood Community Corporation, we are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the successes of the adults who are working to improve their skills and their lives.

One of those learners is Martin, who has been with the Program since January 2009. When he enrolled after just a few weeks in the U.S., Martin’s English was spotty at best and he struggled to find the vocabulary to express himself. An engineer in his home country in Cameroon, Martin had to wait the necessary period before becoming eligible for a “green card,” his permission slip from the U.S. government to work. In late July, after a long search, he found employment as a machine operator. One day one he impressed his supervisor with his knowledge and skills, and he has already received a promotion.

To eliminate barriers caused by illiteracy and low communication skills, the Adult Literacy & ESOL Program at GHCC responds to individual learners’ needs by offering intensive, learner-centered instruction through classes and one-to-one tutoring. We serve two distinct populations, age 16 and older: adults in need of basic education, and immigrants seeking English language skills. Native-born learners focus on basic reading, writing, and math skill development, while immigrants work on basic to advanced English listening, speaking, and writing skills.

It is remarkable that in a nation as affluent as ours there continues to be a staggering number of adults who cannot read or write – nationally 90 million adults are eligible to receive adult education services (the National Assessment for Adult Literacy, 2008), and in Maryland more than 750,000 are without basic skills. The tragedy is that in our state only 5% of those adults actually receive instruction due to long wait lists.

In Baltimore City 35% of adults have less than a 12th grade education, and even more are at the lowest literacy levels. The Maryland State Department of Education last year reported that in today’s workforce a high school education is a minimum essential for employment, and individuals who earn a high school diploma or GED equivalent increase their annual wage capacity by $7,216. The work we do can and does make a difference.

So how can you help or get in involved? Here are some ideas:

• Tutor: Volunteer to work with a learner for basic reading, writing, math, or English instruction. GHCC has the only literacy and ESOL tutor trainings in Baltimore, so call us today to find out more.
• Donate: Contributions to our Adult Literacy & ESOL Program are invaluable as we seek to maintain these crucial services to the community.
• Advocate: Contact your national and local elected officials and encourage them to keep adult education in their priority areas. More importantly, encourage them to increase funding for adult education!
  

When it comes down to it, so many of our national issues are heavily reliant on strong literacy skills: health care must have literate, informed patients to be effective; our fiscal and economic health is based on a savvy consumer population; and we must all engage in constructive, responsive public discourse. All this and more can be achieved through successful adult education.

Todd Elliott
Director, Adult Literacy & ESOL Program
(410) 261-3524

From Indiana to Maryland: The Start of my AmeriCorps Experience

Meet Cyndel Taylor, a soon-to-be AmeriCorps VISTA member with GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL program. As we prepare for the departure of our current AmeriCorps members and the arrival of 12 new volunteers in August, look for more VISTAs' stories on Greater Homewood Voices.

At the beginning of June, I moved from Indiana to Maryland to begin preparing to take over the Special Literacy Projects VISTA position with Greater Homewood Community Corporation. I came across AmeriCorps during my senior year of college when I decided I wanted to spend some time working in a service-oriented position. I’ve always wanted to spend at least a year doing some sort of service, and I figured that if I waited too long after college, I might never actually do it. AmeriCorps seemed like the perfect fit because they would place me at a non-profit, which is where I would like to be in my future career. Luckily, while I was looking through the various positions, I found that GHCC had an Adult Literacy and ESOL program. I was finishing up my senior internship at a non-profit that specialized in adult education and ESOL (which I happened to love doing), so I immediately applied for the position.

I find working with adults invigorating because they genuinely want to learn. They come to tutoring sessions because they want to make their lives a little better, and I cherish every opportunity I can get to help them achieve their goals. My position for the next year will allow me to take on more responsibility than I had in my internships, which will help me prepare for the next step in my life after AmeriCorps. Plus, I will also be able to strengthen my writing, organizational, communication, and planning skills.

August will definitely be an exciting month for me as I start training in Philadelphia and begin my year with GHCC. I have never been to Philadelphia before, which makes the training even more exciting. Plus, I will be able to get to know the city of Baltimore and meet all the people at GHCC after the training. The one thing I am worried about actually has nothing to do with starting my position—it has to do with finding housing in Baltimore. I would like to find an affordable apartment in a good neighborhood. Hopefully that is possible!

Overall, I am very much looking forward to the coming year!

Join the Early Literacy Team at Barclay Elementary/Middle School for a Year of Service!

The early literacy team at Barclay Elementary/Middle School in Charles Village recently launched a program to provide students and their families with more resources for improving literacy in the early grades. A part of Project Early ID, an early literacy project piloted at Barclay, the program includes one-on-one tutoring, free books, and literacy trainings. Community volunteers directly engage with students by serving as “Story Pals” for children in grades Pre-K through 3. The program, which has engaged community volunteers as well as Experience Corps members, teachers, parents, and staff, has been highly successful in its first year. Since January 2009, Barclay School has recruited over 10 volunteers to read one-on-one with approximately 20 students. Through free book shelves around the school and scheduled give-aways at trainings and parent nights, the school has given away over 4,000 books to students and their families.

Even with this success, it is evident that the program still has room to grow. Other schools in the Greater Homewood network have expressed interest in implementing a similar model of volunteer engagement targeting early literacy. With the help of a Volunteer Maryland Early Literacy Coordinator, the Barclay School Early Literacy team hopes to expand its program threefold in the coming year to engage over 200 students in early childhood and primary grades at Barclay. Additionally, the Volunteer Maryland Coordinator will develop a model for the program that can easily be applied to other schools.

Please help us spread the word about this exciting opportunity to work as a Volunteer Maryland Coordinator in one of Baltimore’s great City Schools!

Recruitment Announcement
Early Literacy Volunteer Coordinator at the Barclay School

Make a Difference for Baltimore’s Youngest Students!

Join The Barclay School #54’s dynamic early literacy team in providing our youngest readers and their families with more resources for improving literacy in the early grades, including one-on-one tutoring, free books, and literacy trainings. While establishing a model of volunteer development, the Coordinator will help to lay the foundation for a greater early literacy network in Baltimore City Schools.

The Early Literacy Volunteer Coordinator at Barclay will recruit volunteers to serve as read-aloud tutors, collect and distribute free books to students and parents, assist with trainings and professional development for school staff and volunteers, and organize celebrations of students’ reading successes. This is a part-time, one-year commitment as a member of AmeriCorps (sometimes referred to as a "domestic Peace Corps"). The service year begins September 16 and includes extensive training, a modest living allowance, and a post-service education award.

If interested, please send a cover letter and resume to

Katie Horn at khorn@greaterhomewood.org.

Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy: Photo Essay

Written by Jannette Seman

On Saturday, March 28, GHCC's Adult Literacy & ESOL Program hosted its Eighth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy. A record number of players raised over $5700 for the program through registration fees, a raffle, and a silent auction.

March Madness games weren’t the only ones bringing people together this month. For the Literacy Program, March was quite the month for board games.

For the Literacy staff, spring brings flowers, showers, and Scrabble! On March 28, nearly 115 social and competitive Scrabble players braved the rainy weather for an evening of great fun and gamesmanship at the Eighth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy, making this year’s event the most successful to date. Thanks to the wonderful assistance of the Literacy Advisory Board, we were able to obtain some amazing donations for player prizes and a silent auction (the first for this event) from several local businesses. Given the economic recession, the generosity in support of this year’s event was the most meaningful success of all.

Sharing Knowledge, Sharing Experience -- It's a Win-Win

Written by Lisa Morris.

I was struggling, clearly, to explain what I wanted Sharon to do.

“ok, so I want you to break this word in half so that you say each...ummm..part of the word...ummm...where it makes sense to divide it up...” My dry erase marker feebly drifted between letters.

“Syllabification!” Sharon called out from across the room. My jaw dropped.

My name is Lisa Morris. I am a volunteer tutor with the Greater Homewood Adult Literacy & ESOL Program, and Sharon is my tutee (an adult learner because she graduated from high school more than a few years ago). Most of the time, of course, I have a better handle on what I’d like Sharon to work on, but this conversation was a perfect example of how reciprocal our relationship is. I hadn’t used the word syllabification. Sharon constantly reminds me, not in so many words, that her knowledge of spelling, vocabulary, and grammar is just rusty. She knows the basic sounds that the letters make, and despite her issues with spelling, can read some complex words. And every once in a while, something from her history with formal education seems to pop out of nowhere.

The Adult Literacy Program serves more than 400 Adult Literacy and ESOL learners each year.
I am one of 70 volunteers. During the day, I am an AmeriCorps*VISTA member at the Center for Social Concern at Johns Hopkins University, working to develop service-learning opportunities at JHU. In order to take the job, I moved to Baltimore in August 2008. Sharon’s was one of the first faces that I was able to associate as being of the city; many of those who live on my street in Hampden or go to school at Hopkins are transplants, from elsewhere but here for the time being.

As we’ve worked together, Sharon and I have developed a few favorite activities. Since her faith is important to her, I’ve given Sharon chapters of the Book of John to read for homework every session. We also enjoy competing to make the longest words out of a random mix of letters rolled from Boggle cubes. She occasionally gives me a ride home from our tutoring sessions, when the weather is cold or rainy, leaving me with a long bus ride home, or brings me candy when she has some extra to share.

Today we’re going to work on homonyms and long vowel sounds, but really, Sharon will probably give me as much as I can give her.

Adult Literacy Program Graduate Featured on Channel 2!

A student in GHCC's Adult Literacy and ESOL program

Channel 2 reporter Jenny Glick recently profiled a graduate of GHCC's Adult Literacy and ESOL program during her "Life Lessons" series on the television station. Glick interviewed Obed Dominguez, who graduated from the program in 2008 and is now enrolled in college.

Click here to see the video. To find out more about the Adult Literacy and ESOL program or to volunteer, please call 410-261-3524 or visit our website. And don't forget to join us for the Eighth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy on March 28!

Register Now! Eighth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy

Having fun at the 2008 Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy

One of GHCC's most popular events is back! Join us on Saturday, March 28 for the Eighth Annual Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at Calvert School. Play at either social or competitive levels, enjoy food and prizes, and help support GHCC's Adult Literacy and ESOL program.

Become eligible for Early Bird prizes when you register by March 13!

For more information, call Todd Elliott at 410-261-3524 or click on the registration form below.

Register Now for Adult Literacy and ESOL Classes

GHCC's Adult Literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is accepting students now!

Registration is open for the winter session of adult basic education and English language classes. ESOL registration will be held on January 12-13 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. both days at 3501 N. Charles Street. You can register for adult basic education classes by calling the program at 410-261-3524. That's also the number to call for more information.

GHCC serves more than 400 adult learners every year. Come see why our program has been one of the best for the last 20 years!