Tutoring Times N A P A C O U N T Y L I B R A R Y L I T E R A C Y C E N T E R S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

Coordinator's Corner Tucked into the spring months we celebrated Earth Day. Over 20 parents and children attended the Disney Nature movie “The Wings of Life,” a colorful and delicate film on the small creatures of our ecosystem: bees, flowers, birds, bats and how one-third of the world’s food supply is dependent on these insects and flora. We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with our inaugural salsa making contest, not to be confused with salsa dancing, unless you tasted the really spicy salsa! Plans are to make this an annual event and a fundraiser for the Literacy Center. We continue to offer more classes and have added a morning ESL class and GED prep two nights a week. In addition to tutor training, we have two upcoming workshops on working with ESL learners and adults with learning disabilities. These workshops are being offered through our partnership with Napa Valley Adult Education.

Off-sight programming continues to move forward. Anais German Castaneda, one of our new tutors, is tutoring ESL with a small group of farm workers at the River Ranch Migrant Farm Worker Housing Center. Anais said she is having fun and the classes are going well. Kelly Pepper has returned for a second session tutoring ESL class at the Mondavi Farm Worker Housing Center. While the aftermath of the earthquake still has our GED program on hold with the Napa County Corrections Department, literacy and jail staff continue to work together on ways to provide tutoring to inmates using video visitations-that is still a work in progress. Our one-on-one tutor program continues to grow. We welcome our newest tutors: Harry Brown, Laura Corthell, Carolyn Davis, Maura Eggan, Lynn Hunton, Ariel Jackson, Joanne James, Kimberly Lund, Donald MacInnes and Diana Marchut.

One of our goals this year is to increase the number of tutors at our

branch libraries in American Canyon, Yountville and Calistoga. In

an effort to highlight our services in new ways for people who don’t

use print media, we send a special thank you to 99.3 the Vine, who

ran a public service announcement on Napa County Library

Literacy Center.

Continued on p.2

Events & Workshops

Learning Disabilities

Workshop June 9

6:30-8:30pm Napa Main Library

Lunch with Literacy

July 21 12:00-1:30pm

Napa Main Library Tutor Training August 25 & 26 10:00am-2:30pm

Napa Main Library

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Coordinator’s Corner cont’d

Gene Piscia, a tutor in our program, is always coming up with new ways to promote our services. Gene is profiled in this newsletter and has put up a beautiful photo display of tutors and learners at City Hall. (see right)

When you come into to the Literacy Center please take a look at our new software for adult learners. We ordered Reading Horizons, a program that streamlines the process for learning how to read. In addition to Reading Horizon we have purchased Rosetta Stone for our ESL learners and now have the program on three computers. If there are additional materials and supplies you would like us to purchase, just ask anyone of us in the office.

May you all have a joyful summer. See you

at the library!

-Robin

Tutor Training Help an adult in your community!

Attend a 2-part Training:

August 25 & 26 10:00am-2:30pm

For more information, call Robin at 253-4283.

City Hall Display

When Gene Piscia isn’t volunteering as a literacy tutor at the library or as a volunteer at the Napa Welcome Center, he manages the art gallery at City Hall. With a group of photographer friends Gene set up a beautiful photo display. The Napa County Library Literacy Center is now being featured at City Hall through August 30. City Hall is located at 955 School St. in Napa.

When you have a chance, go by and look at the display, it is a wonderful reflection of our tutors and learners.

Read Gene’s related article “Program Provides a Second Chance for Literacy”, which ran in the Napa Register on May 25, 2015.

Thank you…

Gene Piscia & The City of Napa for promoting literacy at City Hall.

Taqueria Maria for donation of chips and dinner for two.

Easy English Times for facilitating a workshop for tutors on the many uses of the newspaper.

Tutor Debra Inman for donation of a dinner for five at Panera.

Cristobalina Gonzalez for volunteering at the front desk.

And always a big thank you to our tutors!

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Cristobalina

Spotlight on:

Tutors, if you would like to see your student highlighted in the next newsletter, please submit a paragraph about how they met their goals and other accomplishments to Nicole. For more info, call 253-4610.

“My name is Cristobalina and I am from Mexico. The Literacy Center offered me a tutor to improve my English. My tutor Paula is making a big difference in my life because I feel more comfortable when I speak English. I have increased my vocabulary. I have three children in Elementary school and when my kids bring home notes from school I am able to read them. I can now write letters to my manager and when I need something fixed for our home I can communicate with him. I am very grateful to the Napa Library Literacy Center. Recently, I started to give back by volunteering two days a week at the Library Literacy Center. I help with answering phones and assisting learners with the self-study computers, it’s a great way to practice my English”. Note: Cristo will be at the front desk on Monday and Friday mornings.

Learners in the News

Congratulations to Diana for passing the GED! Diana is the first recipient of the GED scholarship. Diana attended Dr. Gonzalez’s Spanish GED class (see p. 4). If any students are ready to take the GED exam and need financial assistance, please see Nicole or call 253-4610.

A huge pat on the back to Aaron Fletcher and Jose Campos. They have been selected to attend the Adult Learner Leadership Institute (ALLI). The institute will be held in June at the Pleasant Hill Library. ALLI is a 3-day workshop presented by learners to help other learners with advocacy, leadership, and public speaking. ALLI is held throughout the state and is funded through the state library’s LSTA grant. Look out for upcoming opportunities to apply and be apart of a great program!

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Workshops & Classes

For Tutors:

For Learners:

SAVE THE DATE!

INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY CELEBRATION

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

GED Prep

Spanish with Dr. Gonzalez Tuesdays & Thursdays June 2-August 6 6:00-8:00pm Napa Main Library RSVP Karime at 253-4237.

GED in English Tuesdays & Thursdays August 11-October 8 6:00-8:00pm Napa Main Library RSVP Robin at 253-4283. All books and materials are free to participants.

ESL Class Improve your English with basic lessons in speaking, reading and writing.

Fridays July 10-August 28 10:00am-12:00pm Napa Main Library RSVP Robin at 253-4283.

Intermediate Conversation Group Susan will facilitate this weekly group, using lively and engaging topics to practice English at an intermediate level. Mondays June 1-July 6 6:30-7:30pm Napa Main Library RSVP Susan at 253-4237.

ESL Workshop ESL teacher Paulette Ross will be on hand to teach strategies for working with second language learners. Date & Time TBD Napa Main Library RSVP Robin at 253-4283.

Lunch with Literacy

Tuesday, July 21 12:00-1:30pm

RSVP Nicole at 253-4610.

Learning Disabilities Workshop

Learn the skills to help adults with learning challenges. This workshop will be presented by longtime Special Education instructor Katy McVicker.

Tuesday, June 9 6:30-8:30pm Napa Main Library RSVP Robin at 253-4283.

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Summer Reading for the Whole Family Read to the Rhythm!

Salsa Contest Winning Recipe

Adults can register at any branch or online, five titles read and submitted will get you up to $10 in fine removal, entry into the drawing for an electric guitar, $100 Napa Bookmine gift card, or $50 food/drink credit along with tickets to a show at City Winery.

For more info, call 253-4235

Teens can read 5 books for $10 in fine removal. Read 10 books for a chance to win an electric guitar, ukulele or gift card to Napa Bookmine.

There will also be a “Pitch Perfect” sing along and music themed crafts and activities.

For more info, call 253-4243

Children sign-up by picking up a reading log from the library or online. There will be many prizes and exciting events this summer:

Puppet Shows Movies Music

Storytimes

For more info, call 253-4070

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat a grill on high. Chop the top and bottom of the pineapple, cut off

the rind, and cut off all the brown spikes. I haven’t found a good way to

core the pineapple whole, so I slice the pineapple into 1/2” slices and cut

out the cores. Place the pineapple slices directly on the hot grill until there

are black grill marks. Do this on both sides. After this is complete, rough

chop the pineapple slices and place in a large bowl.

Slice the mangos alongside the seed and cross slice the mangos. Flip the

mango pieces like a hedgehog and cut off the diced pieces. Cut and dice the

rest of the mangos and put into a bowl.

Add the garlic, onions and peppers.

Finely chop the cilantro leaving a few tops for decoration. Add the chopped

cilantro into the bowl.

Add the lime, lemon and orange juice.

Fold everything until well mixed. I usually let the flavors blend overnight

and decorate with the cilantro leaves before serving.

Note: I try to use organic ingredients when possible.

By: Issac Benavidez, 1st place winner

INGREDIENTS

1 Whole Pineapple

3 Ripe Mangos

4 cloves garlic minced

1 ½ small red onions chopped

1 small yellow onion chopped

1 bunch green onions (greens part only) thinly sliced ¼ teaspoon habanero pepper minced.

3 whole jalapeño peppers chopped

4 whole serrano peppers chopped

small.

½ bunch cilantro (divided)

Juice of;

2 limes

1 lemon

½ orange

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Literacy Events Summer 2015

Don’t forget to sign up for the Summer Reading Program!

1 Intermediate Conversation Group begins 6:30-7:30pm 2 Spanish GED Class begins 6:00-8:00pm 9 Learning Disabilities Workshop 6:30-8:30pm

4 Library Closed 21 Lunch with Literacy 12:00-1:30pm

25 Tutor Training 10:00am-2:30pm 26 Tutor Training 10:00am-2:30pm

JUNE

AUGUST

JULY

LITERACY CENTER 580 COOMBS ST NAPA CA 94559 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED