Live, Learn, Connect, Grow
Arlington, Texas
READS
December
2010

Above: Venture High School student
Andrea Aguilar learns the importance
of reading to her baby, Genesis Garcia,
in her Life Through Literacy class.
in this issue
Our Impact...........................2
Minh’s Story.........................3
Partners for Workplace
Literacy.................................3
Saving Lives through
Literacy.............................4
Giving Back to Arlington........5
In the Words
of our Students....................5
Volunteers in Service
to Arlington..........................6
Life at Arlington Reads..........7
ARLINGTON
Book It for Literacy
O n August 14, 2010, Arlington
Reads hosted its inaugural 5K
walk/run, Book It for Literacy. Ninety-
eight racers of all ages competed in
the event, held at the beautiful River
Legacy Parks in north Arlington. The
race was made possible by our part-
March of Dimes
Partnership
ners, Arlington’s Departments of
Parks and Recreation and Police and
Fire, and by the generous donations
given to us by The Runner, Whole
Foods, and Costco. Mark your calen-
dars for our 2nd annual 5K race on
August 13, 2011.
A
rlington Reads is grate-
ful to its partner March
of Dimes, whose generous
donation of 2,000 books has
reached many students. March
of Dimes continues to sup-
port Arlington Reads through
a $500 grant, which has been
used to purchase copies of
Baby Basics, given to moth-
ers attending Life Through
Literacy classes.
 Our Impact
Arlington Reads owes its success to the dedication of its students, vol-
unteers, and community partners. In the fiscal year 2010, we made the
following impact:

Arlington Reads offers the 189 volunteers served their community through Arlington Reads.
following programs
to the community: 4,923 hours were dedicated to Arlington Reads by our volunteers.
Adult Literacy
1,340 students participated in Arlington Reads’ programs.
ESL and Basic Literacy is the total number of hours our students and volunteers
Citizenship Preparation 11,763 spent working together.
English Conversation Circles
Online GED 110 ESL and Basic Literacy students advanced at least one level in Eng-
lish proficiency.
Youth Literacy
The Learning Zone 147 ESL and Basic Literacy students met a literacy goal.
Fitnessistas
Reader’s Theater 83% of Learning Zone students passed to the next grade level.
Junior High Tutoring
100% of parents with children in Wee Reads say they have learned
something new.
Workplace Literacy
Texas Industry Specific ESL 3 students passed the citizenship test.
Computer Classes
3 students got their GED, contributing $135,000 to Arlington annually.
Family Literacy 5 students obtained jobs.
Life Through Literacy
Wee Reads 62 families received free board books to help develop early childhood
Lee y Serás literacy skills.

Meet Rosaura
When Rosaura Ambriz first came to Arlington
Reads, she knew little English and had never
graduated from high school. “My goals are to
speak, understand, write, and read English,” she
said.

Now, three years later, she speaks English so

well that family members in Minnesota rely on
her as an over-the-phone translator at the doc-
tor’s office and the supermarket.

“It’s different now,” she says. “I can help my

children with their homework.”
Rosaura, with her daughter Dayana, who participates
in Readers Theater, The Learning Zone, and Fitnessitas.





 2
 
 


To
learn
more
about
Arlington
Reads,
call
817‐275‐3321




Minh’s Story
A lmost 238,000 adults in Tarrant
County cannot read English
well enough to follow a bus sched-
ule or read a story to their children.
Minh Nguyen is no longer one of
these adults.
For the past 16 years, Minh
has lived in Arlington, unable to
speak, read, or write in English.
Encouraged by her husband and
children, who speak the language flu-
ently, Minh enrolled in three English
as a Second Language classes at
Arlington Reads.
When asked what has moti-
vated her to keep up her studies for
three years, Minh insists, “If I learn,
I can help others.” She speaks enthu-
siastically about her Texas Industry






 or
visit
our
website
at
arlingtonreads.org
 3
Specific English as a Second Lan-
guage course, where she practices
the healthcare-related terms that will
help her reach her long-term goal: to
become a patient-intake coordinator
at a hospital.
More important, however,
she says knowing English allows
her to better care for her children.
Because of her classes at Arlington
Reads, Minh is not only able to read
stories to her son and daughter, ages
7 and 10, but she can also help them
with their homework. With this in
mind, she laughs easily when her
children tell friends that “mommy
goes to school, too.”
Minh (left), with her tutor Virginia.


Partners For
Workplace
Literacy
Maida, Rosa, Mira, and Maria Fernandez
(left to right) study English after work at
Arlington Memorial Hospital.
With the genrous support of North
Texas Future Fund and Texas Health
Resources, Arlington Reads has
expanded its workplace literacy
programs into the community of
Arlington. In February 2010, Arling-
ton Reads began teaching English as
a Second Language classes and Texas
Industry Specific English as a Second
Language classes to staff members
of Arlington Memorial Hospital and
Hyatt Place.
The classes, which reach 26 adults,
teach basic literacy skills, while con-
centrating on vocabulary specific to
their students’ workplaces. By focus-
ing on job-oriented English, Arlington
Reads and its partners hope to facili-
tate communication between employ-
ees and customers. Results of a recent
test measuring English profiency show
that 84% of students at Hyatt Place
advanced at least one level. Arlington
Reads is grateful for the continued
support that NTFF’s Valerie Hodges
and Carl Hecht have provided for its
workplace literacy initiatives.
Saving Lives
through Literacy
S
tudies shows that more babies
die each year in Arlington than
in almost any other city in Texas.
Arlington Reads has joined forces
with Arlington Independent School
District, local non profit Life Through
Literacy, the Arlington North Rotary
Club, and Rotary District 5790 to
fight infant mortality.
Arlington Reads’ Life
Through Literacy program seeks to
counter one of the leading causes
of infant mortality -- poor mater-
nal health -- by educating new and
expecting teen moms about prenatal
care, healthy lifestyle choices, mater-
nity resources in the community, and
early childhood literacy. Reaching
more than 60 students in seven local
high schools, Life Through Literacy
teaches students how to care for
their babies and create lasting bonds
through reading, singing, and playing.
Life Through Literacy founder
Joe Bruner sees the program as a way
to “create productive families” while
reducing the rate of infant mortality
and illiteracy.
“Of all the issues facing our
4
Clockwise, from left: VISTAs Kim
Tran (center) and Virginia Tran
(left) lead parenting and expecting
teen moms in a song that teaches
children vowel sounds; Life
Through Literacy student Melina
city,” he says, “I cannot think of one
Flores practices asking her daugh-
more serious than the potential loss
ter, Sophia, critical thinking ques-
of life of a baby. The issue is forced
tions about the ball she’s playing
to become merely a statistic. We are
with; Kim (right) instructs moms
standing up for them.”
to identify the title of a book
The teens attending the pro-
before reading it to their children;
gram speak of how much they have
Life Through Literacy founder Joe
learned. Christina Cruz, an expect-
Bruner (left) awards Arlington
ing mom and senior at Venture High
Public Library with a $5,000 dona-
School, says, “Point out the front,
tion from the Arlington North
cover, and spine of the books. These
Rotary Club and the Life Through
are skills children need to learn before
Literacy Foundation, to be used
school. I have learned the importance
to support Arlington Reads’ Life
of engaging both sides of the
Through Literacy classes.
brain and to read a book over
and over again for my baby
to learn.” When asked if “Of all the issues facing
they would recommend the
classes to others, 100 per- our city, I cannot think
cent emphatically said yes.
Through the gener- of one more serious than
ous donations of Life
Through Literacy, Arling-
the potential loss of life
ton North Rotary Club and of a baby.” -- Joe Bruner
Rotary District 5790, Arlington
Reads has been able to purchase cop- port the purchase of a laptop com-
ies of “Baby Basics” for each student puter and LCD projector, used when
in the program. Funding from these conducting Life Through Literacy
organizations has also helped sup- classes in Arlington ISD high schools.
Giving Back to Arlington
V olunteer ESL teacher Seth
Bailey remembers a time
when he spent long days in the li-
brary, enjoying the luxury of time
that retirement offers. One day,
amid the silence of the library, he
heard a distressed voice trying to
communicate in French. Fluent
in the language, Seth approached
the man to help, unaware that this
experience would change his life.
Seth quickly learned that
the man and his wife had recently
immigrated from West Africa,
having won a visa through the
lottery system. With no knowl-
edge of English, the couple faced
a daily struggle to adjust to life
in Arlington. The experience of
seeing this couple burdened by
their inability to communicate
with those around them motivated
Seth to volunteer with Arlington
Reads.
Seth describes teaching as
“the best thing that’s ever hap-
In the Words of our Students
The following message was sent to Arlington Reads’ Workforce Literacy
Coordinator Catherine Wilson from a student in our GED program.
Catherine,
I just wanted to say thank you to you
and this program. While I have not
personally met you, I have met Yoko,
and a few other people who have
made this journey so positive. I have
my own personal struggles with
feeling humiliated, having to get my
GED, and even having to confess to
my 14 year old, mom is not perfect!
It was very hard to tell my son, but
he is my biggest supporter (along
with my husband). I just wanted you
to know, that EVERYONE, I have
pened” to him. In his classes, he
focuses on the practical applica-
tion of English. After teaching his
students to write their addresses
and telephone numbers, for ex-
ample, he asks them to fill out the
relevant sections of a job applica-
tion. Seth’s goal as a teacher is to
help his students become indepen-
dent in everyday life and to impart
a love of reading and discovering
new things.
“Arlington Reads fills a
great need for programs servicing
immigrants,” Seth says. “Pro-
gramming takes place with stu-
dents in mind. The students who
seek out Arlington Reads have the
will and drive to learn, they just
need a teacher.”
The dedication Seth sees
in his students motivates him to
keep teaching. “This is my call-
ing,” he says, “my gift back to the
community.” Seth Bailey (left) instructs his ESL students.
“Keep working,” he said. “You can do it.”
come in contact with, through the with the program who don’t make
Arlington Reads program, so far, you feel stupid or inferior, that was
has made me feel very comfortable, a huge concern of mine, but after
motivated, and good about the pro- meeting Yoko that first day to sign
cess. Especially Richard, the com- up, I felt her sincerity in wanting to
munication in his class as well as help me. Her enthusiasm in the ori-
the emails he sends, makes you (and entation class was wonderful! Even
hopefully everyone in class) feel like your emails, indicate the “want” to
he not only wants you to succeed in help everyone learn..... very refresh-
math, but to genuinely succeed pe- ing!
riod. I appreciate his time, it means
alot. Just wanted to thank you, for Thanks again! Maria
having such good people helping
5
VISTAs in Service to Arlington
W hen Arlington Reads was first estab-
lished as the literacy branch of the
Arlington Public Library, it was staffed by
VISTAs Kayce (far right) and Rachel (far
left) pose with their Reader’s Theater
students. .
one AmeriCorps VISTA, or Volunteer in Ser-
vice to America. Today, Arlington Reads is
home to nine VISTAS, who have expanded
its programming from one early childhood
literacy class to 13 programs, which span
youth, adult, family, and workplace literacy.
VISTA leader Kayce Green has spent
nearly two years dedicated to Arlington
Reads. Raised in Missouri, Kayce was drawn
to the opportunity to work with a literacy
organization by her desire to learn how to
best serve others. In college, she had worked
with refugees, teaching English as a Second
Language and preparing her students to sell When Kayce’s second leave behind a math and science-
items at a farmer’s market. year of service ends in February, based youth technology center,
At Arlington Reads, Kayce has she hopes to pursue the field of where college and high school
focused her attention on developing teen human rights. “Education ties students introduce junior high
and “tween” literacy programs. Through her so much into human rights,” she students to the branches of
Junior High tutoring sessions and Reader’s says. Often, “ESL students get engineering. Arlington Reads is
Theater program, she helps her students not taken advantage of because they thankful for her dedication to the
only build their reading and writing skills are scared, they don’t speak Eng- community of Arlington.
but also gain self-confidence. “It’s small lish, and they aren’t citizens.” AmeriCorps VISTA is
communities we’re helping,” she says. By For now, Kayce is work- the national service program
helping young adults to become literate, ing to ensure that Arlington dedicated to fighting poverty. For
Arlington Reads is breaking the cycle of Reads serves the community well more information, visit www.
poverty. into the future. She hopes to americorps.gov.

Meet Our Staff

Left column, descending:
VISTA Lori Frola
Public Relations Coordinator
VISTA Rebekah Welch
Volunteer and Student
Coordinator
Right column, descending:
VISTA Catherine Wilson
Workplace Literacy
Coordinator
VISTA Kaley Horton
Learning Zone Coordinator

VISTA Virginia Tran VISTA Kim Tran

Special Programs Coordinator Special Programs Coordinator

VISTA Kayce Green VISTA Rachel Foster

VISTA Leader Learning Zone Coordinator

Center left: VISTA Cheirieamour Smith, Workplace Literacy Coordinator

Center column, descending: Yoko Matsumoto, Library Service Manager - Literacy, Glory Dalton, Programming Specialist,
Mary Arnold, Literacy Coordinator (Not pictured: Ivonne Kieffer and Dyan Anderson, Programming Specialists)
6
Friends of Arlington Reads
Arlington Reads’ literacy programs are funded entirely through grants and donations. We would
like to sincerely thank all of our sponsors, donors, and partners, who make our work possible.

DONORS & SPONSORS

Debbie Viragh
DADS Advisory Fund
Sandra Brown
Life Through Literacy
Joe Bruner

PARTNERS

FIRE DEPARTMENT
Arlington, TX

Arlington Unitarian St. Joseph

Universalist Church Catholic Church 77
 Make a Difference!
Arlington Reads empowers children and adults to break the cycle of poverty and underachievement.
We need your support to continue our work. By becoming a volunteer, you can improve the lives of
others through the power of education. No previous teaching experience is required.

Above: VISTA Rachel Foster reads with her

Learning Zone student Edwin Alvarado.
Right: Learning Zone student Kevin Palacios
practices reading strategies with his tutor,
Quaneshala Johnson.

Left: ESL student Yanping Ling

(right) works with tutor Ryan Gal-
lagher to improve his speaking
skills.

8
 “The best part of this
opportunity is that Arling-
ton Reads offers flexible
schedules and formats for
the volunteer. You want
to teach a small class?
They got you covered.
You want to be a one-
on-one tutor? They can
get you set up with that,
too. I encourage you to
inquire.”

-- Ryan Gallagher, ESL Tutor

Above: In Life Through Literacy class, par-

ents practice songs that their babies will
love to sing along to!

Below: Readers Theater participants Steve

Avila, Paola Cepeda, Luna Shqeir, and Aidee
Barajas perform the script they have written
for the book “Peter Pan.”

Other Ways to Help

If tutoring is not for you, please consider giving in one of the following ways:

Purchase an item on our Amazon Wish List. Find the link at

arlingtonreads.org.
Become a sponsor or participant in our annual Book It for Literacy 5K
Race and Fun Run.
Host a book drive at your church or workplace. We have bags avail-
able for collection.
Did you have a favorite book as a child? Share it through donation.

Challenge your friends on Facebook to pledge a small donation on the

Arlington Reads Facebook page.
Donate online at arlingtonreads.org or call 817-275-3321.
9
 Join Us!
arlingtonreads.org

tinyurl.com/facebookareads

twitter.com/ArlingtonReads

flickr.com/arlingtonreadstx

Yes! I support Arlington literacy programs

I would like to volunteer with: I would like to donate a tax-deductible gift of:
Adults Early Childhood Learning (0-4 years) $10 $50
Children (grades 1-3) Other Duties $25 $100
Other amount of $__________________
Donor/Volunteer Contact Information
Name:_________________________________
Address:_____________________________ City:____________________ State:_______ Zip:________
Phone:__________________________________ Email:_______________________________________

Payment Options
Check is attached (made payable to the Arlington Public Library Foundation)
Credit Card (circle one) AMEX VISA MC Disc
Name as it appears on card:___________________________________
Card #:_______________________________ Exp. Date:____________
Signature:____________________________ Date:________________

Mail to: Arlington Public Library attn. Arlington Public Library Foundation
101 East Abram Street
Arlington, TX 76010
817-459-6900