January | VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER | 2026 | | Volunteer Hours This School Year: 4165 | | |
| Human Trafficking Prevention Month shines a light on the often hidden reality of trafficking and the urgent need to protect the safety and dignity of vulnerable individuals. Simple & Just, a Seattle-based nonprofit resale shop, directs 100% of its profits to survivor support, funding safe shelter, mental health care, job training, education pathways, and long-term independence. | |
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I am indebted to the friend that once told me about a small nonprofit in Fremont that she thought I’d love. She was absolutely right! I started volunteering at Literacy Source, and three years later was hired as the first Volunteer Program Manager. Now, 15 years on, I’m ready to pass the baton and move on to a new chapter.
This has truly been one of the most rewarding jobs of my career. I have loved witnessing the dedication of our students, volunteers, and staff, celebrating our many successes and improvements, continuing my own learning journey, getting to know so many amazing people, and being part of everything that makes Literacy Source the wonderful school it is today.
So, with a mix of gratitude and bittersweet feelings, I want to share that I’ll be retiring from this role at the end of the winter term. My last day will be Thursday, March 12th. We’re currently hiring, and I’m excited to meet my replacement. I am sure you’ll be in great hands.
Thank you for everything you do to support our students and help create a future where literacy eliminates injustice and strengthens our communities.
Warmly,
Caroline
| Save the Date: Celebrating Caroline | |
Come and say good bye to Caroline!
On March 10, you are invited to drop by the Literacy Source Office between 1-7 PM to offer an appreciation for Caroline. We'll have some snacks in the kitchen and a scrap book for you to add in your appreciations, photos or other creative additions.
For folks who aren't able to make it but would like to add an appreciation, please email it to Denika at denikas@literacysource.org, with the subject line "Caroline's Memory Book." Denika will get your entry into the book.
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As we look back on 2025, one word rises to the surface: transformation. This past year marked a full circle moment for Literacy Source as we celebrated our 40th year and our first full year in our new office space. Moving in January brought more light, larger classrooms, dedicated tutoring areas, and welcoming shared spaces that better reflect the learning and connection happening inside them every day. Being co-located with other nonprofits has also opened new doors for collaboration and community, reminding us that our work is strongest when we are part of something larger.
That sense of growth is reflected not only in our space, but in our students and programs. Thanks to a generous donor, we have added a dedicated ESOL 3 class; previously, we offered a combined Level 2/3 class. Splitting the class provides a more tailored learning experience and creates more opportunities for students to advance to the next level when they are ready. Partnerships continue to broaden our reach and ensure learners are not turned away, from new leveled English classes and Conversation Circles with Seattle Public Library, to digital skills classes with Seattle Housing Authority, healthcare on-ramp workshops with SEIU 1199 Training Fund, and workplace literacy at Seattle Children’s Hospital. As a result, enrollment in our Community Programs has doubled over the past two years and now represents more than 60% of all students we serve in King County. With your support, we remain committed to meeting learners where they are with education, hope, and practical pathways forward.
As this newsletter arrives just after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it feels important to acknowledge the challenges many of our students are facing right now, including the threat of immigration raids, canceled citizenship interviews, and rhetoric meant to make them feel unwelcome. Dr. King reminded us that “the ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort, but where they stand at times of challenge.” Through your support, patience, and presence, you stand up for dignity and justice in the most practical, nonviolent way possible. King County carries Dr. King’s name as a commitment to those values, and every time you show up for our students, you help turn education into light, and light into lasting change.
In community,
Liz Wurster
Communications Coordinator
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As an adult educator, bell hooks was a trailblazer who reshaped how we think about teaching, learning, and power. As a Black woman writing and teaching in spaces that often excluded voices like hers, she insisted that education should be a practice of freedom, rooted in mutual respect, critical thinking, and care for the whole person. Her work challenged traditional hierarchies in the classroom and affirmed that learners’ lived experiences, languages, and identities are not barriers to learning but essential sources of knowledge. As we approach Black History Month, her legacy reminds us that this work is both deeply personal and profoundly political.
For adult educators and volunteers, bell hooks offers a courageous model of “engaged pedagogy”, teaching that invites vulnerability, shared growth, and honest conversations about race, gender, class, and belonging. Following in her footsteps is courageous because it asks us to question our assumptions, listen deeply to learners, and create learning spaces where everyone feels seen, respected, and empowered, even when that work is uncomfortable. These ideas closely mirror Literacy Source’s teaching philosophy and our commitment to equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning.
One year ago this January, when Literacy Source moved into our new offices, we named our classrooms after influential, trailblazing adult educators, including bell hooks. Many of you have already experienced the transformation that aptly occurs inside the bell hooks classroom, or will in the future. Knowing the story behind that name invites us to reflect on how her vision lives on in our daily work, in the relationships we build with learners, and in the courageous conversations we continue to have together.
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Error Correction & Feedback
(Adapted from Literacy Minnesota training: Volunteering in an ESOL Classroom)
Recommendations for Correcting Errors
Don’t Fear Mistakes!
If there is one thing that we want learners and volunteer volunteers and class assistants to keep in mind when working with adult learners, it's that there is nothing wrong with making a mistake! They are a natural part of learning a new skill. When we make a mistake, it's an opportunity for error correction to happen, which is a great way to learn.
You can read the full teaching tip here.
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Working with Adult Learners: A Webinar & Roundtable Discussion
As part of our ongoing commitment to offer teaching support in your volunteering at Literacy Source, we are pleased to invite you to join for this 2-part skills-based training. The first part is a free 2 hr. online webinar that you attend independently. Join two of our instructors online for a follow up Roundtable Discussion to talk about what you learned in the webinar and what you can apply when working with our students. It's an excellent way to hone your tutoring/teaching skills and meet/learn from our staff and fellow volunteers.
Note: You will need to create a Literacy Minnesota login to register.
Part #1, Webinar: Instructional Best Practices: Working with Learners
Tuesday, January 27th, 4:30 - 6:30pm (PST)
Please Register for the free webinar here.
1. Overview of learner-centered teaching and tutoring
2. Learn how to reduce teacher talk time
3. Learn error correction techniques
While we strongly recommend attending the live webinar you can also watch a recording of the training here.
Part #2, Online Roundtable Discussion: Working with Learners
Tuesday, February 24th, 5:30 – 6:30pm
Join the meeting with this Zoom link.
Everyone is welcome to come and participate in the discussion.
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Have you been part of Literacy Source for a while?
Were you with us in the early days at the Greenwood Library, at our Fremont location, or when we rented space from Seattle Mennonite Church?
As we look ahead to 2026, we’ll celebrate our 40th anniversary. We’re gathering stories, memories, and moments that shaped Literacy Source. Your experiences - notes, videos, photos, memories - help tell the story of our impact and community.
Please add your memories to this document or reach out to Shirar@literacysource.org directly.
Photos from any chapter along the way are especially welcome. Thank you for being part of our story.
Please add your thoughts by February 27th.
| Literacy Source partnered with two individuals from Philippines and Ethiopia who became a citizen in the past month. Congratulations! | | |
Congratulations and thank you to these volunteers who have achieved a year of service! We are so appreciative of all your hard work and dedication to Literacy Source.
Angelene Rapanan - Conversation Partner
Anne Frantilla - ESOL Tutor
Cathleen Bonner - ESOL Tutor
Emma Hong - GED Class Assistant
Ethni Allison - Conversation Partner
Jess King - Conversation Partner
Mariam Kanakomo - Citizenship Tutor
Sally Holmes - Conversation Partner
Sarah (Xiao) Zhou (Hua) - Conversation Partner
Stephanie Mendez - Citizenship Class Assistant
Tina Liang - Math Lab Class Assistant
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2026 Edible Book Festival
January 24, 11am-1pm, (Third Place Commons Lake Forest Park Towne Center, FREE)
Festival Schedule:
1:00 am -12:00 pm: Set up displays
12:15 pm: Judges' awards and People's Choice Awards
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm: Enjoy the entries!
The Edible Book Festival is back again at the Third Place Commons at Lake Forest Park Towne Center. This is a FREE family-friendly events, so mark your calendar and join us! No registration or tickets are needed to visit the festival.
Living Voices: Fly for Freedom
February 5, 5:30-6:30pm, (Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) South Lake Union. FREE)
Experience a new historical multimedia program featuring the little-known stories and contributions of working women in the World War II aeronautics industry, amplifying the experiences of Black women through the Rosie the Riveters who built planes in Boeing’s factories, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), the Tuskegee Airmen, and the Double Victory campaign.
This event takes place during our Free First Thursday hours. Seats are first come first served.Living Voices combines live theatrical performances with archival film, turning history into a moving personal journey. This performance will take place in the Joshua Green Foundation Theater on MOHAI’s second floor.
Kayhan Kalhor and Erdal Erzincan East Meets East: An Evening of Kurdish and Alevi Music
February 17, 6pm-10pm, (Town Hall, The Great Hall, $25-$50)
This February, renown Iranian Kurdish musician Kayhan Kalhor returns to Town Hall for a performance of instrumental improvisation that nods to tradition while pushing its boundaries.
Kalhor, who plays a four-stringed Persian spiked fiddle (or bowed lute) called the kamancheh, is known for collaborations that allow him to explore beyond his comfort zone. In this special Oculus Series event, he is joined by Turkish Alevi folk musician Erdal Erzincan, who plays the bağlama (a stringed instrument in the oud family).
Both exquisite players inspired by the classical and folk traditions of the Middle East, Kalhor and Erzincan first partnered on the entirely improvised album, The Wind (2006), and have continued their musical for two decades. This live performance of two musical masters promises beautiful melodies and improvisations on traditional themes with virtuosic storytelling, creating a trance-like atmosphere that brings the rich courtly history of their respective instruments to life.
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Our next New Volunteer Orientation (via Zoom) will be on February 4 at either 1pm or 7pm.
Potential volunteers are invited to register online here.
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Winter Term: January 12 - March 12
No Class on Presidents Day, February 16
Winter Term Class Schedule
2025 – 26 Term Calendar
Volunteer Blog
Do you have questions or comments about volunteering at Literacy Source?
Volunteer Question/Feedback Form
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| Miss any of our past volunteer newsletters? You can access archived newsletters at the bottom of the Volunteer Page of our webpage. | | | | |
