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New Tutor Training
All of our new volunteer tutors are required to complete a free, three-part training.

April 
Training:

High Point Public Library

Orientation: Tuesday, April 4 at 10am-12pm

Session I: Wednesday, April 5 from 9am-12pm

Session II: Friday, April 7 from 9am-12pm

For more information or to register, please  email us or call (336) 230-2223.

Please check our online calendar for more training dates. 
Like us on Facebook and check out our Tutor Tips of the Week!

Upcoming Events

Supplemental Trainings

Poetry
HP: April 11, 10:00am
GSO: April 13, 5:30pm

Tutor Reflection
HP: Monday, April 24
10:00 am

GSO: Thursday, May 4
1:00pm


Literacy Leadership
Breakfasts
Please mark your calendars to attend our annual Literacy Leadership breakfasts.

High Point
Tuesday, April 4 at 8:00-9:00 am

Greensboro
Thursday, May 18 at 8:00-9:00 am

Please click here to register online. 
Reading Connections NEWSFLASH
March, 2017


We hope you have had a great March! Every month we look forward to sharing Reading Connections' news and community happenings to keep you in the loop and well connected.
Literacy Leadership Breakfasts

You are invited to attend our annual Literacy Leadership Breakfasts at one of two locations to celebrate the accomplishments of our many students and to learn more about how we can help the adults we serve together achieve their highest dreams! The event is free but donations are appreciated.

You must register for the High Point Breakfast no later than Thursday, March 30. Registration is now open for the Greensboro Breakfast. Click here to register for one of our Literacy Leadership Breakfasts.
 
Thank you to our sponsors: Cone Health, Kayser-Roth Corporation, LeBauer HealthCare, High Point Public Library Foundation, Hayden-Harman Foundation, and The Social Impact Foundation.
High Point Student Shares Her Success Story

Deboraha Stafford enrolled with Reading Connections in 2014 with the goal of obtaining her GED® certificate. Since joining the program, Deboraha has spent many hours working with her tutor Veronica Farrell. Passing the first segment of the GED® test inspired her to stay dedicated and keep working. Rarely missing a tutoring session and eager to take in the new information presented to her, Deboraha constantly challenged herself to do better than what she may have done the day before.

ABE Coordinator Blake Hamilton saw Deboraha soon after she took her final segment of the GED® test. He could tell from her demeanor that she had done well. "Deboraha tried to hold on to a subdued enthusiasm, but the beaming smile that radiated from her showed that she finally achieved one her greatest accomplishments through determination and grit." We are proud to report that Deboraha earned her GED® on March 10.

Deboraha continues to set new goals for herself and the Reading Connection's staff continues to encourage and give what support we can as she sets off on a new path. When asked what her best advice is for other students, she responded, "Do your best and don't stress if you don't get it right first time. You have 3 tries to take GED® test. Just continue on no matter what life throws at you. God is by your side and everything happens for a reason."

If you would like to meet Deboraha and learn more about her story, join us at the High Point Leadership Breakfast on April 4. She will be one of our student speakers. You can click here to register by Thursday, March 30.

Poetry Supplemental Training 

Veteran tutor Kathy Dunn will share ideas and lesson plans for using poetry as a springboard for writing. Poems by Langston Hughes and Robert Frost will be used. This training is appropriate for all ABE and Intermediate-Advanced ESOL tutors.

High Point: Tuesday, April 11
10-11:30am:  Morgan Community Room(1st floor) at the High Point Public Library located at 901 N. Main Street

Greensboro: Thursday, April 13
5:30-7pm: 8th floor of the Self Help Building located at 122 N. Elm Street in Greensboro

For more information or to RSVP for this training,  email Laura Mims   or call (336) 230-2223. We hope to see you there! 
ESOL Student Performs for Elementary School Students

 
Before coming to the U.S., Yaeko Katsuki was a kindergarten teacher and children's storyteller for 10 or more years. With a true passion for storytelling, Yaeko gets a lot of energy from performing. While Yakeo was a volunteer at the Greensboro Historical Museum, she was invited to attend the Triad Storytelling Exchange in 2006. The meeting helped her get back into the world of storytelling and in 2003 she began performing at Allen Jay Elementary in High Point. 

On Tuesday, March 7th, she performed a Japanese Folkstory of a boy named Ikkyu-San, taught students origami, and sang 'Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes' in Japanese with the 2nd graders. Allen Jay was observing International week with multi-cultural activities to celebrate the diversity of cultures in our community. Children sang along and were fixated on Yaeko's energetic performance. Yaeko has been studying ESL in the High Point Reading Connections program for almost 3 years this spring and says one of her main motivators to improve was her audience. She works to improve her English every day, so she can continue to share her passion for performing and storytelling to all. 
AmeriCorps Members Host Event for Global Service Youth Day

Reading Connections AmeriCorps members Yolanda Ruiz-Hernandez and Erik Hill are hosting an event designed to engage youth in service. At this event, youth will assemble  literacy bags for homeless children that will contain a book, a notebook or journal, pen, pencil, and bookmark. They will have the opportunity to make a bookmark, put together literacy bags for children in need and participate in an interactive storytelling session performed by Yaeko Katsuki (featured in the previous article). The event will also feature a poetry competition for various ages and information tables for adults that are seeking employment or need career readiness assistance.

The event will be Saturday, April 22 from 10am-12pm at the High Point Public Library. Click here to view the event flyer .

If you would like to donate items for the literacy bags, we are accepting donations of journals/notebooks and new or gently used children's books at both of our offices. 
 
Tutor Reflection Scheduled for April 24 in High Point and May 4 in Greensboro

This is an open forum for tutors to discuss all things related to tutoring including:
  • Share ideas for improved instruction
  • Learn what other tutors are doing with their students
  • Ask questions
  • Share ideas and lesson plans that have helped your students reach their goals
  • Find new resources for lesson material
The training is led by Tutor Coach Kathy Dunn and open to all tutors--ABE, ESOL, Math, and Detention Center.

High Point: Monday, April 24 at 10am-12pm
Morgan Community Room on the 1st floor of the High Point Library.
 
Greensboro: Thursday, May 4 at 1:00-3:00pm
8th floor conference room of the Self Help Building

RSVP to Laura Mims or call (336)230-2223.

Needed: Two AmeriCorps Members

Reading Connections is looking for two full-time AmeriCorps members to serve August 2017-July 2018. One member will serve full-time in Greensboro and the other will serve part-time in High Point and part-time in Greensboro.

Click here to see the full job description and apply online. No candidates will be considered until the online application is complete. Please contact Laura Mims or call (336) 230-2223 with any questions.
Our mission is to provide and advocate for free, individualized adult literacy services to promote life changes for Guilford County residents and surrounding communities.  We always welcome your questions and feedback. Please don't hesitate to contact us to hear more about how our programs are making a difference in our community.
 
Sincerely,

Jennifer Gore, Executive Director
Reading Connections, Inc.
For more information visit www.readingconnections.org
or contact us at one of our offices:

In Greensboro
336-230-2223
122 N. Elm Street, Suite 920
Greensboro, NC 27401
FAX 336-230-2203

In High Point
336-884-7323
901 N. Main Street
High Point, NC 27262
FAX 336-883-3636