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| October is Health Literacy Month, reminding us that language skills allow adults to advocate for their health and navigate care confidently. In our classrooms, this mission comes alive through projects where students practice doctor visits, write about wellness, and share vital knowledge. | |
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As we close out an incredible summer quarter and welcome students back to school for fall classes next week, we are reminded of the true purpose of our educational mission: to build practical skills, foster self-advocacy, and create lasting opportunities in partnership with our students. From celebrating a student who passed her final GED exam to reading through a collaborative cookbook created by our ESOL learners, this summer was full of inspiring milestones. Across every level, our classes ground instruction in real-world contexts, culminating in integrated projects that showcase not only language acquisition, but courage, critical thinking, and student voice.
Our summer final projects brought that instructional approach to life across our classrooms:
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ESOL 1 learners conducted and shared student interviews centered on family life.
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ESOL 2 day and evening classes presented on how to prepare for major life events, outlining steps, purchases, and solutions for unexpected problems.
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ESOL 3 students published a collaborative class cookbook, using sequencing language and sharing the cultural stories behind cherished recipes.
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ESOL 4 and 5 classes presented balanced pro-and-con arguments on topics ranging from AI Technology and drones to the experience of living in the United States.
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Academic English students paired reading The Call of the Wild with mini-research projects on the Klondike Gold Rush and Yukon Territory, presenting their findings via Canva, iMovie, and Google Slides. The quarter concluded with an exciting milestone: a student passing her GED Language Arts exam on the final day of class!
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Ready to Work students applied foundational math and digital literacy to build practical monthly budget spreadsheets balancing income, expenses, and savings.
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Citizenship students conducted mock interviews using random questions from the N-400 application to prepare for naturalization.
As we look toward fall, our school continues to expand these learning pathways, collaborating closely across our community to meet learners wherever they are. From core ESOL, digital literacy, and our popular new Book Club elective, to specialized courses like Academic English and Introduction to Health Care Jobs, our curriculum reflects our commitment to partnering with adult learners as they navigate their work, education, and daily lives.
Thank you for supporting our vision of a community where all adults in King County have the literacy skills they need to create generational change.We invite you to explore our students' work, celebrate their dedication, and join us in welcoming another full, vibrant quarter of learning!
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Cat Howell
Co-ED, Educational Director
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Shira Rosen
Co-ED, Managing Director
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Finding Connection in Our New Book Club Class
What happens when students reach our most advanced English levels, but want to keep learning without following an academic track? They join the Literacy Source Book Club! Designed as an engaging elective for experienced English learners, this new offering gives students an authentic, welcoming space to explore literature, unpack complex idioms, and engage in meaningful conversations together. By giving advanced learners an engaging place to keep growing, it frees up critical capacity in our core ESOL classes for new students and those who are ready to move up to a higher level class.
Read more about how our Book Club class is creating new pathways for our learners.
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Student Spotlight: Kelly V
When Kelly needed specialized support navigating college-level writing with dyslexia, Literacy Source paired him with a dedicated tutor who tailored instruction directly to his learning style and pace. Through that targeted partnership, Kelly completed his coursework, earned his degree from Shoreline College, and is now pursuing his dream of manufacturing aerospace parts in a machine shop. His success shows the power of personalized adult education, proving that meeting learners where they are can turn ambitious career goals into reality.
Read Kelly’s full interview here.
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“My Literacy Source tutor helped meet me at my level and we worked at my pace. We worked through my last two college classes together and now I have graduated.”
~Kelly V., Literacy Source Student
| | Beyond the Classroom: Partnering with Casa Latina | When Casa Latina launched two new ESOL classes at their day worker center, Literacy Source partnered with them to support assessment and reporting. We shared our standards-aligned writing assessments and trained their team to evaluate student progress consistently. Serving as a training resource for peer organizations allows us to elevate educational best practices and strengthen adult learning across our entire community. | |
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Final Days of Our Back to School Campaign
Every Back-to-School donation helps create a place where students build skills, gain confidence, form connections, and become volunteers who give back to others. With just a few days left in the Back To School Campaign, we're so close to raising the $25,000 needed to unlock the threshold match, which will add $20,000 to the campaign total! Every gift, of any size, counts towards this goal. With only $990 to go, will you help us cross the finish line and support the next student begin a journey that could one day come full circle?
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We'd love to introduce our newest staff member, Jacquline Dacres.
With a background in education rooted in her upbringing in the Caribbean, Jacquline focuses on identifying learner needs and building the supportive systems that help people move forward. Outside the classroom, she spends her time with loved ones, dives into podcasts, and develops personal business and writing projects.
Read her full bio on our staff page
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Microsoft's Give Month
October is GIVE Month for Microsoft employees! We’re very grateful for the support we receive from Microsoft employees and their company’s matching donation and volunteer programs. These benefits make a big difference for our organization.
If you or someone you know is a Microsoft employee, this is a wonderful time to share about Literacy Source and the impact we’re making together. If you’d like resources or information about Literacy Source to pass along, contact Emily, our development director.
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| 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 | | | | |
