TOP
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The Literacy Council's Fall Newsletter, 2002
Table of Contents
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Welcome
New Tutors! JoAnn King, Peg Greiner, Roger
Weiss, Judy Holland, Robert Abbey, Marlene Berstein,
Leticia Aroni, Letitia Chavez, Steve Gallardo, Jodi
Flowers, Sharon Cullors, Rebecca Horner, Jaqueline Hofmeister,
Kelly Jonason, Dora Incze, Leslie Van Meel, Kathi Peterson,
June Hildrem, Shirley Wiedenman, Robby Robinson, Alice
White, Gary Grunwald, Nancy Dwyer, Connie Wilkinson
Tutor Mary Buren
THOSE
SPECIAL ONES AMONG US . . .
Meet
Mary Buren, Educator Extraordinaire! How many of us
can say we worked 27 years without missing a day for
illness? Mary Burden can! For 27 years she taught 5th
and 6th grades in Guadalupe and never took a sick day.
In fact, Maryıs teaching career spanned 45 years. She
taught in Pennsylvania for 18 years before she moved
to California. When Mary retired from teaching in 1985
she tried to slip away quietly. She says it was a shock
when she was asked to attend a ³little get-together²
and the entire Guadalupe community was there. It had
been decided that Guadalupeıs only elementary school
would be named after Mary - the Mary Buren Elementary
School. What a tribute to her students and the school
system. Mary, now 87, volunteered to be a literacy tutor
in 2001. She figured that her many years of teaching
experience might benefit someone. Mary enjoys working
with Alicia Chavez and says sheıs an excellent student.
Mary Buren, teacher extraordinaire! Weıre lucky to have
her tutoring at Nipomoıs Literacy Center. Written by
Nipomo Center Director - Carol Dykstra
A
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
| Dear
Literacy Council Members, The fall is always a busy
active time for the Literacy Council. There is a
flurry of activity as the centers that have been
closed for the summer- re-open- and those that have
been opened- increase their numbers. We have a new
center director at our Arroyo Grande night center.
Sharon Tanner has enthusiastically taken over and
the center is thriving. One new learner came in
because his young daughter had asked him to read
her a book and he was not able to- a poignant reminder
of why we do what we do. Soon, the doors will open
to our newest center. The Church of Prayer in San
Luis Obispo will open on Wednesday January 8th.
The center will be open Saturdays 10 am to 12 pm
and Wednesdays 5 pm to 6:30 pm. Leticia Chavez will
be the center director- some of our recently trained
tutors are members of the Church of Prayer congregation
and are eager and ready to begin tutoring. Our board
of directors and staff held a full day retreat at
the lovely Sycamore Mineral Springs. The meeting
room was graciously donated by Russ and Carol Kiessig,
owners of Sycamore Mineral Springs and the lunch
tab was picked up by Charter Communications. Chuck
Anders, President of Strategic Initiatives was the
facilitator. His high tech instant response system
is truly state of the art and produced very useful
data. The board members and Marcie, Ilsa, and I
have already begun to work on new marketing and
fund raising strategies. We have also had some changes
on our board of directors. We reluctantly bid farewell
to Chair Pat Chapman- she is concentrating her efforts
on her career. Liz Lopez has been appointed Chair
and Josh Pruett Vice-Chair. Happily, we welcome
Sandee McLaughlin, Dean of Cuesta College North,
as a new board member. Circumstances beyond the
control of the Literacy Council prompted the postponement
of the Chocolate Suite Affaire. However, there is
no need to despair. The Chocolate Suite will be
held Sunday February 16, 2003. See the back page
for details. We are also working with the San Luis
Obispo Daybreak Rotary on a read-a- thon fund raising
event. Members of the high school Rotary Interact
club and the Monday Rotary Club will be involved.
It is still in the development stage- we do know
that pledges will be sought for pages of childrenıs
books read, the books will be read to learners and
their families, and childrenıs books will be given
to those families. Look for notices about this promising
event that will take place in March. |
Stumped
for holiday gift ideas? The SIBL- Songs Inspired
by Literature- CD could be the answer. Check out
the information in this newsletter or go to our
web site (sloliteracy.org). You would be giving
an original gift and helping the Literacy Council
at the same time. One of my duties is to make sure
I visit the centers regularly. I have not made it
to all of them this fall, but the ones I have visited
managed to work their special spell on me. My sense
of knowing the essential worthiness of our work
gets instantly renewed. All of us together, in different
ways, help individuals gain the basic tools that
allow them to become better members of their communities.
We also have tutors that work with learners independent
of a center. Some of those very special individuals
meet with their learners at our office- a truly
special treat to see them on a regular basis. Speaking
of independent tutors, one of our long time tutors,
Murray Lauser, is married to Ernest Lauser- the
1st Prizewinner for the Quarterıs (25 cent USA currency)
new design award. Congratulations Ernest! As a final
point, since our Stateıs budget is consistently
in the news, I would like to share with you the
state of our budget. This fiscal year our State,
County, and City funding has not been reduced and
we have added some Federal funding with Community
Development Block Grants. As most non-profits, we
are anxious to see how next fiscal year will look.
Meanwhile, we continue to try to maintain and increase
our private funding sources. If anytime you would
like to know specifics, please call me. Thank you,
each of you, for your generous contribution to the
Literacy Council. Best wishes to you all for a truly
joyous holiday season filled with hope for world
peace. Bernadette Bernardi Executive Director
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TUTOR'S
CORNER
Improve
Your Listening Skills Gradually
For many students, LISTENING is the most difficult
skill to acquire. Teaching listening skills can
be tough, so endeavor on your part is essential.
Donıt continually practice a skill which is easy
for your student. Practice the skills which are
most difficult for him/her. I can promise you that
if you perservere, your student will start to enjoy
listening, because he/she will understand what is
being said.
1. Encourage your student to listen to songs
as often as possible, because the lyrics are repeated
and will eventually become easier. Make worksheets
for song lyrics, leaving some words blank, and have
your student fill in those blanks.
2. Record programs from the radio and have
your student listen to them repeatedly until he/she
can recognize most of the words and understand the
meaning of the program.
3. If he/she is finding it very difficult
to listen and comprehend, you may want to use audio
materials that have corresponding books.
(UC Berkeley.org website) |
Holidays
and Observations:
Looking at Diversity and Culture Holidays all over
the world provide a meaningful theme for student
reading, writing, and researching. Students can
share their own experiences and knowledge, and learn
about other people, places, and customs. This unit
is also an opportunity to address diversity and
culture.
Subject Matter * Reading, writing (pre-writing,
composing, revision, and editing), researching
Activity * Ask students to close their eyes
and remember a happy time they celebrated that holiday.
Help them remember by guiding them to think about
when this was, who was there, where they were, what
they did, what they ate, what they heard, etc.
Have students draw a picture or make a collage of
that good holiday memory. This activity is just
to get their thoughts moving and make it easier
to begin writing. (Materials such as markers, crayons,
construction paper, old magazines, and ribbon can
make this more fun.) (http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/adulted/lessons/lesson24.html)
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NEWS
FROM THE CENTERS
Three students have moved
on to classes at Cuesta College, they are Gabriela
Barash, Yareni Albarran and Xin Ping Gao. One of
our students, a business woman, went to the bank
for the first time by herself! A real milestone
as she had someone go with her to the bank for several
years. Then we have two students who have decided
that they each could maybe try to tutor a beginning
student. They are Elena Lopez and Patricia Servin.
These ladies were willing to give this a try when
they heard about our long waiting list, but on condition
that they could continue their own lessons. They
solved this by suggesting that they could tutor
for the first hour and then follow that with an
hour-long lesson for themselves. Their tutor, Mary
Morrison, is mentoring their tutoring and they all
seem to enjoy this new experience. It is certainly
something new for our Center since the students
are generally too busy with work and family to be
able to devote time to tutoring. It is often already
difficult for them to attend classes and so this
is an especially exciting time at our Center. We
hope this will all work for a while. Margaret van
Wyngaarden SLO Day Center at First Presbyterian
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Student
Kim Kioe Phendee gave Halloween masks to Center
Director Margaret van Wyngaarden (left) and tutor
Elaine Townsend (right).
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Mitsuko-
Mitsi- Nakamura (87) (right) and Sadako Winkel
(77) (left) are testimonials to the idea that³
itıs never too late ³. Both ladies were born in
Japan and moved to the states after World War
II. After devoting their lives to their families,
they are now focused on learning English. In addition
to being devoted hardworking students they are
fortunate to have veteran expert tutor Weedad
Nelson (center) as their English language mentor.
Thanks to all three women for being such outstanding
role models.
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SIBL
- A New Fund raiser for Literacy!
SIBL
is an inspirational group of artists working together
singing and weaving a fabric of awareness and support
for adult literacy. SIBL (Songs Inspired by Literature)
promotes great works of literature through the universal
language of song. It also raises money for programs
that teach and/or promote reading. Above all, it builds
awareness about the growing rate of illiteracy in this
country and around the world. The more this problem
is discussed, the more opportunities will be created
to curtail its growth. The challenge of adult literacy
is rising exponentially according to the NIFL-National
Institute for Literacy. 1 in 5 American adults cannot
read to their children. Moreover, recent AMA-American
Management Association studies revealed that over 38
percent of 1999 job applicants lacked the literacy and
numeric skills required to perform basic job tasks.
So much of the world is inaccessible to the non-reader
and their isolation is an enormous global loss. In the
past, musicians through the power and enchantment of
song have raised both public consciousness and millions
of dollars for similarly critical issues such as health,
housing and hunger. Now, with the vital influence of
the SIBL Project, songwriters throughout the world will
unite and seize an unprecedented opportunity to have
their work included on a series of SIBL CDs. In February
2002, the first SIBL CD, entitled Chapter One, was released
and the net proceeds will directly benefit adult literacy
programs.
THANKS
TO THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION
Literacy Circle
California State Library,
Children and Families Commission of SLO County / Prop.
10, San Luis Obispo City County Library
In Kind
Atascadero Bible Church, Central Coast Baptist
Church, First Presbyterian Church, SLO Paso Robles Public
Library, Peace Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Community
Church, Cambria St. Johnıs Lutheran Church, St. Josephıs
Catholic Church, Cayucos St. Josephıs Catholic Church,
Nipomo St. Peterıs Episcopal Church, St. Timothyıs Church,
The Tribune, Trinity Methodist Church
Benefactor
City of San Luis Obispo, Economic Opportunity
Commission, Even Start, Lucia Mar City of Morro Bay,
*Unocal Foundation *Theodore A. Von Der Ahe Jr
In Kind
Phillips Petroleum
Patron
Allen-Birge Charitable Trust/ Liz Curren, *Blakeslee
Family Foundation, Inc. California Menıs Colony East,
*Russel & Carol Kiessig, Mid-State Bank, Foundation
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., *Phillips Petroleum Co.,
Rotary Club of Five Cities, St. Barnabas Church Thrift
Shop, *San Luis Ambulance Service/ Frank Kelton, San
Luis Obispo Friends of the Library, Jim & Joan Sargen,
Sinsheimer, Schiebelhut & Baggett, *Tenet Healthcare
Foundation, United Way of SLO County,
In kind
Charter Communications, Sinsheimer, Schiebelhut & Baggett,
Strategic Initiatives / Chuck Anders, SurfariNet
Donor
*Lucia Cleveland Charles Dunlap *E. Thomas Martin, Old
Mission Church, San Luis Obispo, Pacific Gas & Electric,
/ Tom Jones *J.R. Penrod, Rotary Club of Nipomo, Rotary
Club of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, *William Schumer
& Linda MacLean, *Southern California Gas Co.,
In Kind
KSBY-TV Michael Krout
Sponsor
Sponsor Altrusa International of Cinco Ciudades, Bell-Warren
Trust, California Menıs Colony West, *Pat Chapman, Mary
& Lesley Corbus, *Richard & Edwina De Long, Delta Kappa
Gamma Epsilon Delta Chapter, *First Bank of San Luis
Obispo, Fraternal Order of Eagles, *Allen K. Hutkin,
ESQ, *Emmy Kimball, *Henry & Cecily Lane, Morro Bay
Harbor Festival, DıElaine & Mike Patrick, Alfred Ramos,
*RRM Design Group, *Rincon Consultants David Wolff,
Rotary of SLO Daybreak, Santa Lucia Bank Atascadero,
*Stein & Casciola Law Corporation, The Mortgage House,
/ Rick Brause
In Kind
Barnett, Cox & Associates, Karen Haislip, Faye S. Russo,
E.A. The Sign Place
Partner
Keith Aplustill & Sari Pinto, Gill Apodaca, Barbich,
Longcrier, Hooper & King Sharon & Norman Beko, *Roxanne
Carr & Rodney Levin, Ed & Anita Carson, Carlyn Christianson,
Coast National Bank, *Coastal Rolloff Service, *Cold
Canyon Landfill, Frances Conn, Jay & Victoria Conner,
Betty A. Cousins Cuesta College Library, Framberger
Employee Benefits & Insurance G. K. Francis, Hap & Gayle
Harbert, Torre Houlgate-West, The Hunt Fogelman Family
in honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Carol Jauregui, David
& Sharon Juhnke, Jerry and Viola Koory, Jeanne & Barry
LaBarbera, Elizabeth Lopez, William McKenzie, Dean &
Mary McNutt in honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Wilton &
Cheryl Miller, Edwina Mindheim, Mission Community Bank,
*Mission Country Disposal, *Morro Bay Garbage Co., Peggy
& Gerry Peterson, Scott & Barbara Radovich, Thelen Reid
& Priest, Attorneys in honor of Cynthia Twisselman,
Julie Rodewald Rotary Club of Morro Bay, *San Luis Garbarge
Co., St. Stephenıs Episcopal Church, Shirley Selkirk,
Christopher Smith & Associates, *So. County Sanitary
Service, Jeanne Shannon, in honor of Cynthia Twisselman,
David & Madeleine Shaw, Greg Steinberger in honor of
Cynthia Twisselman, Thoma Electric, Inc. Presbyterian
Church, Board of Deacons, United California State Employees
Campaign, Nancy Woodard, Joyce Zimmerman
In Kind
Jan Breidenbach, Hometown Buffet, Kinkos, MacTeacher,
Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort
Friend
John Akin, Trish Avery, Mac & Bonnie Brinton, Rick Brause/
The Mortgage House, Inc. Nancy & Ray Bryant in honor
of Cynthia Twisselman, Roxanne Carr/ The Mortgage House,
Inc. Hedy Carra, Lenarda & Edward Chambers, Gary & Catherine
Cripe in memory of William Schumer, Richard & Diane
Dannells, Serim & Bilgi Denel, Ellen Dollar, Christopher
Duenow, John and Sandy Dunn, Carol & Sidney Dykstra,
David Edwards & Karen Gallas, First Church of Christ-Scientist,
James & Susan Fuller, Mary Harris, Katherine Henderson,
Madeline Holmes, Jeanne Hoyt, Christian Iversen in honor
of Cynthia Twisselman, Anthony & Michelle Johnson in
honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Lisa Johnson, Elizabeth
and Elmer Kirk, Claretta & Roger Longden, Frances &
Allan Mayer, Sheila Merrill in honor of Cynthia Twisselman,
Marian & Robert Middleton, Morro Bay Womenıs Club, Catherine
& George Petty, Jeffery P. Priolo Insurance, Inc. Brian
& Diane Reynolds, Evelyn Riedinger, Marion Rooney Rodman
JoAnn & Dennis Ruthenbeck, (Borahıs Awards) K. Jane
Scanland, Frank Sheahan Insurance, Charlotte Smith,
Kathy Smith, Margo & Timothy Smith, Patty Terbeck, Karen
Tipple, James and Virginia Toomer, Paula Tripp, Mary
Twomey & Carol Yaggy in honor of Cynthia Twisselman,
Lillian Warneke, Michael Wright Insurance Agency, Doris
Wiley, Leabah Winter, Laurel Woodson, Natalie Woodson,
In Kind
Suzan Boatman, Pat Chapman, Mary Anneıs Hallmark
Reader
Jean Abderhalden, Jack & Grace Beigle, Patricia & Allen
Bristow, Diane & Richard Brown, Chapala Market of Morro
Bay, Elsie & Diane Cocke in honor of Cynthia Twisselman,
Jessie Covey, Esther Crampton, Katie Dolezal, JoAnn
& Ben Edmondson, David Edwards, and Karen Gallas, Regina
Foster, Daphne & Gerald Freedman, Patricia and Lyle
Guipre, Thomas & Lona Harney, Renee Heller, Kyunga Heyde,
Doris Highland, Candace Kincade, Laura Kirschner, Ann
Martinez, Lois & Frank Martinez, Geraldine Matrange,
Maya Restaurant, Mary Parker, Peace Lutheran Church,
Ladies Guild, Paulette Perlman, Betty Lou Pierce in
honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Irma Powell, Andrea Raggio,
H.E. & Betty Robinson, Doris Rose, Jean Ross in honor
of Cynthia Twisselman, Mitch & Susan Rowe in honor of
Cynthia Twisselman, San Luis Chevron, A.J. Schuermann
Jr. Scolariıs Friendship Fund Shandon Elementary School
in honor of Cynthia Twisselman Karen Sharp Kimberly
Skinner Betsy & Roger Sprenkle, Sue Svercheck, Katharine
Tift, Elaine & Bert Townsend, Joe Truex, T.F. & Patricia
Twisselman in honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Betsy & Donald
Umhofer, Elaine Van De Vanter, Nancy & Arn Williams
in honor of Cynthia Twisselman, Raymond & Linda Zeuschner
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