Students from many nationalities fill our mixed-level Tuesday evening Community English class. Recently, they have been working on the simple past tense and were discussing photos as a moment in the past.

In the United States we say “cheese” when taking a picture. Instructor Ena asked her students what they say in their native languages. Ebtissam shared the Arab word, جبنه or jbneh, which means "cheese." Everyone said "jbneh" and smiled for this picture!

Marie is originally from Gambia and has lived in Madison for many years, working and raising her family. In January 2020, she enrolled in our citizenship class to learn the civics, reading, writing, and speaking skills needed to pass the citizenship test.

For more than two years, Marie was a dedicated and joyful student. Her enthusiasm in the class never waivered as classes quickly transitioned from in person to remote during the pandemic. With the support of her children, she learned the computer skills she needed to participate in Zoom classes. In fall of 2021, she started working individually with a Literacy Network citizenship tutor to devote extra time to learning the reading and writing skills needed to pass her interview.

Marie recently passed her citizenship test and soon after took the Oath of Allegiance to become a U.S. citizen! She has since enrolled in her first ESL class to continue learning.

Marie joins 27 other Literacy Network students in successfully passing their citizenship tests so far this year. Congratulations to these new citizens!

We are excited to share that, for the third time in six years, Literacy Network has been included as one of Madison's Best Places to Work in Madison Magazine!

Recognition is awarded to the local businesses that rank highest in a survey conducted by Quantum Workplace measuring a range of research-validated workplace factors that impact employee engagement and satisfaction. 

We love working together to help adults reach their dreams through improved literacy!

Staff and students were excited to return to in-person class registration for the first time since January 2020! Nearly 100 ESL students came to the Literacy Network office during the second week of September to meet one-on-one with staff. 

During registration appointments, staff and students developed an individualized education plan highlighting students' personal goals. Students also completed a language test in order to be placed in an appropriate-level class.

We are also excited to share that, with the completion of 2022 registration, we have officially surpassed pre-pandemic levels of numbers served in our ESL programs. We can't wait to help all our students, both new and returning, reach their goals!

As we approach winter, when flu and COVID-19 cases tend to spike, Literacy Network students are participating in another newly developed COVID-19 vaccine lesson. All students will received information about the flu vaccine and the new bivalent COVID-19 booster, including details about eligibility and availability.

Since the start of the pandemic, Literacy Network has developed and delivered six COVID-19 vaccine mini lessons. Special thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for funding this important initiative!

We are honored to announce Literacy Network as a 2022 recipient of an Ascendium Good Neighbor Grant. This $100,000 award will help us to expand our Student Services department in order to meet growing community demand. 

Student Services enrolls learners and provides essential wraparound support, offering mentorship and assistance in overcoming participation barriers including transportation, childcare and housing. This support allows learners to persist in Literacy Network’s programs and reach their goals.

Read Ascendium's announcement here and watch an interview with staff in this Channel3000 news story. Thank you, Ascendium, for this support of adult learners! 

This summer, Literacy Network earned accreditation by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, joining just 15 other Wisconsin organizations in successfully completing this rigorous evaluation process.

Literacy Network is now featured in the first-ever episode of BBB Wise Giving Alliance's Inspiring Collaboration video series. In this video, our Executive Director Jeff Burkhart shares, "The ideal collaboration is one in which all parties have something that they bring to the table, and then there's a reciprocal relationship, so we're each gaining something from that partnership." Hear more about how collaboration makes Literacy Network programming possible in this interview.  

 Thank you to all our wonderful collaborators for your ongoing support!

Please consider monthly and planned giving. Find out more here.