AprilNEWSLETTER | 2024

April is Celebrate Diversity Month, a time to recognize how diversity enriches our community and the world at large. Learning is deepened when we celebrate our differences! Here are some ideas on ways to observe.

Welcome Note

Although our team did an amazing job immediately shifting to remote instruction amidst the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago, no one knows better than our community the importance of seeing in person the people you work with and learn from day in and day out. With language learners in particular, the human connection can be so much stronger when accompanied by the multitude of gestures that can only be captured without a screen in between you and the people around you.


That's why this year's breakfast is so special. We know the energy that has ignited our center since we've had our team back in the office and we are so excited to share that with you at our breakfast - in person! So what will you be missing if you don't join us? Of course you will miss hearing how important Literacy Source is to students in their journey to create a better life for themselves and their family. However, this year you will also miss out on the incredible emcee skills of Star 101.5's Marina Rockinger, and our keynote speaker, Hamdi Mohamed, Director of OIRA (Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs), sharing her moving immigration story and why she believes so strongly in the work we do.


We'll also be showcasing some of our student projects at the breakfast so that you can get a better feel for what's happening in our classrooms (sneak peek below). We can't wait for you to celebrate with us the hard work our students are putting into building a better future for themselves, their families, and the community.

Save Your Seat for the Breakfast!


In Community,

Cat Howell

Co-ED, Educational Director

Shira Rosen

Co-ED, Managing Director

Winter Quarter Student Projects

Our end-of-quarter projects are a great way to showcase the skills students are developing to more effectively manage their lives and express themselves. We just wrapped up winter quarter, and would love to share a few of them with you!


  • Beginner ESOL students were working on finances and at the end of the quarter, they were able to describe a receipt from one of their shopping trips.
  • Food is an essential part of every culture, and we all celebrate the sharing of recipes! Our ESOL 2-3 students in Kaeyoung's class shared their favorites: from Plov to Shiro, Tteokbokki to Cuban Style Rice, be sure to check out these mouthwatering culinary delights.
  • Our ESOL 3 class theme was finances and academic writing, so students brainstormed, outlined, wrote a draft, and then revised paragraphs about taxes based on feedback in small groups.
  • Here are some examples of the final projects of our Ready to Work students: they shared a timeline of their career pathways to demonstrate past, present, and future.


You'll also have the opportunity to check out some student projects that will be on display at our upcoming breakfast. We hope to see you there!

Volunteer Spotlight

We’re excited to feature Jenny as our volunteer spotlight this month! She is a classroom assistant in our ESOL 1 class, and the instructor, Allie, had this to say about her:


"Jenny has been an amazing Classroom Assistant. She always brings a welcoming attitude to class and is a friendly face for our new ESOL 1 students, many of whom are new to the country and very nervous to be taking an English class for the first time. I’m always amazed by Jenny’s ability to support level 1 ESOL students with technology issues. If a student is having an issue on Zoom...'


To hear more about Jenny and read her full interview, go here.

Jenny is standing in a white shirt with the sea and clouds behind her.

Affordable Connectivity Program & the Digital

Equity Learning Network

As many of you are aware, April is the last month for the Affordable Connectivity Program month, which is a significant loss for many our community members who need affordable broadband access.


Fortunately, Literacy Source has joined many other CBOs and government entities in and around Seattle to lead the Digital Equity Learning Network of King County. Up until now it has been mostly volunteer run, but funding from Comcast and the City of Seattle allowed us to create a part-time Program Manager position to lead this network. This is just one of many examples of how we are expanding our reach and impact in the community. Stay tuned to meet our new DELN Program Manager in next month's E-newsletter!

Literacy Source's Business Development Expansion

We are happy to announce that Literacy Source has been growing and expanding its services to the world of workplaces. Elena Jounina, our new Business Development Manager, has been working to build successful partnerships with local employers that require our programs, classes or consultation to improve their business operations. We developed a business flyer to promote this on-going stream of work. Our new email address for partnership connections is partnerships@literacysource.org. Please pass this along to anyone you think might be interested and help spread the word. We want to expand our contract work to better serve our community where they are at.

Job Openings


Please help us spread the word!


ABE and Digital Literacy Instructional Advisor


Ready to engage further with literacy Source?

To make a difference in the lives of others

To invest in something that makes a lasting impact

To have a strong and thriving workplace

3200 NE 125th St, Seattle, WA 98125 | (206) 782-2050



www.literacysource.org

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