by Grace Blakistone, 2016-17, 2017-18 Literacy First Tutor We often hear that tutors are drawn to our program by our mission of educational equity, so much so that it becomes […]
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Blog
A Conversation with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
What do a tutor and a program officer for one of the biggest foundations in town have in common? Turns out, quite a lot! They’re both first-generation college students. […]
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Reading Turns a Frown Around
All of our tutors are guided by the Literacy First staff supervisors, who have years of teaching experience. In practice, this means that they not only understand the intricacies of […]
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Education and Equality: Meet Sam Zigrossi
Sam Zigrossi was reflecting on his family background. His father and both sets of grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy, and the new life that they built […]
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We Call Them AmeriCorps Members
In recent news, there’s been a lot of talk about what “national service” means. National service programs like AmeriCorps are part of the Corporation for National and Community Service , […]
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Protecting Her Literacy Legacy: Alumni Amy Akiyama Gives Back
When she was a tutor, Amy Akiyama’s favorite children to work with were the most challenging students. “Those kids took extra effort to work with,” she remembers, “but in the […]
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What It Sounds Like When a Child Doesn’t Know How to Read
Last month, I sat one-on-one with about 50 kindergarten, first, and second grade students at the elementary school where I work to find out if their reading skills matched those […]
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Goodbye ACE, or, “With Endings Come New Beginnings”
One of the joys of working in a program that runs on the school year’s schedule is having an annual opportunity to reflect and “begin again.” Each June, we […]
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Five Reasons Why Illiteracy is Scary
If you can’t read, life can be pretty scary. Here are five reasons why everyone deserves to learn to read. 5. You can’t play Bananagrams™. Or Wheel of Fortune™. Or […]
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Still Figuring It Out: My AmeriCorps Gap Year
Literacy First is perfect for those seeking a “gap year” experience: that year after you get your bachelor’s degree but aren’t quite sure what you’re supposed to do with it […]
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