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The Doorway

In This Issue...

Volunteer Appreciation

Dinner - pg 1

Scrabble- pg 1 & 8

Tutor’s Corner- pg 2

Sharing the Good- pg 2

New Tutors- pg 3

GED News- pg 4

ELL & Talk Time-pg 5

Calendar- pg 6

Opportunities- pg 6

Kroger Cards- pg 6

CLC Donations &

Support- pg 7

Governing Board- pg 7

Vol. 7, No 3 Collierville, TN December 2011

Volunteer Appreciation

Germantown resident Michael Burnett was named Volunteer Tutor of the Year at the Collier-ville Literacy Council’s (CLC) annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the Church of the Incarna-tion in Collierville on September 12, 2011. Karen Ray, Director of CLC, commended Michael for his nine years tutoring English as

a Learned Language (ELL) and GED students and his role as a friend to his students. Since 2006, he has volun-teered over 700 hours. Michael made a point of appreciating the effort and generosity of the other 170 CLC tutors as well. The first Literacy Champion Award was presented to the Knights of Columbus of the Church of the Incarnation

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Who won the Scrabble FUNdraiser??

Really...our STUDENTS did!!!

The afternoon of Sunday, November 13 found 38 teams of three Scrabble (and CLC) enthusiasts gathered at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville. Following 3 games...scores were totaled and 1st , 2nd, 3rd place were announced:

• 1st Place: The Annihiletters

• 2nd Place: Rzepczynski Scrabblers • 3rd Place: Bingo Bonkers • Best Team Name: ALPHABETTERREADERS • Highest scoring play: “torquing,” worth 86 points for the Scrabble Rousers

Photos of our FUN filled day can be viewed on our website: www.colliervilleliteracy.org after 12/15/11.

See page 8 for more on Scrabble 2011

2011 Volunteer Tutor of the Year was awarded to Michael Burnett by CLC Director, Karen Ray.

Knights of Columbus: Tom Long, Aundra Lockett, Tom Andrews, John Haag and John Barrios

Blended Words team of Geneva & Dwight II Moore, and Martin Edwards

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Sharing the Good – Your Monthly Tutor Reports tell us of the many creative and interesting ways you, our tutors, are helping your students. Jean and Nidya use a dictionary at every session. Good idea! Kim and Skyler had an adventure on their way to visit the International Market. Skyler was driving on Win-chester and needed a “hurried explanation” of what to do when an ambulance wants to get around a vehicle! Mi-chael, Manabu and Chul are working on medical and pharmacy vocabulary. Didi and Tomoko discussed the difference between “junk mail” and “official mail.” Henrietta and Bertha use the newspaper during their meetings, checking the horo-scopes and weather map. Mike and Jose are working on email skills. Beverly and Mi Hwa use an Atlas and dictionary at each meeting. Pam and Billie check out the various ESL websites during their time. Leon is able to read a short story now and to tell all about the details of that story. Lily is so eager to learn and asks Janet for homework every week! Don and Salvador work on vocabulary and sentence structure that Don prepares. Carol and Amal are working on essay writing...which is new to Amal! De-nise and Ella have made worksheets about shopping and family relationships. Oh, so many topics...so little time! Brian and Ji Qui somehow included cereal boxes in their lesson time...hmmm, say “Frosted Flakes...They’re GREAT!” Todd and his student, Luke, have found a common inter-est in music. They use a “Lyrics Notebook” to increase sight vocabulary and fluency. Terri’s student Jenny went online and found a Visa application for her husband, which she was able to understand and complete. Her son just got his citizenship, and she is now thinking of getting hers! Lynn and Nathan are using the Literacy Kit’s Weekly Readers and Explode the Code. Jane and Christina are working on math skills...Jane says, “she is the ideal stu-dent!” Patti shares that Kayoko is writing stories of her travels.

Thanks to you all for letting us know what you are doing!

Thinkfinity, the online selection

of classes we’ve asked our 101 tutor classes to use, has changed its name. It

is now the:

ProLiteracy Education Network.

Simply google proliteracy education net-work. Go to Online Courses, click on in-structors and the area of study (i.e.”esl,” “math and numeracy”). Follow the directions for the class selections and registration. Grow in your knowledge!

Thank you for Attending our...

Holiday Potluck Tutor

Support Gathering!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

We know it’s a busy time of year.

Highlights of the Literacy Confer-

ence the staff attended in Hous-

ton were shared, along with great

food and conversation!

Tutors — THANK YOU for your

MONTHLY TUTOR REPORTS!!

…& thanks for putting your student’s full name

on the report. It helps Mary Jane.

Please do let us know of any contact

information that changes for you or

your student.

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”Hi Mr. L, this is K. I just wanted to let u know I’m in culinary school and thank you so much for your time and dedication on helping me get

to were I’m at now.so thank you very much:-)”

CLC Newest Certified Tutors!

Seated: Tom Andrews, Carol Rexhouse, Henrietta Alvarez Back Row: Mike Roy, Kathleen White, Denise Fleming, Sherry Moore, Gene Callaway, Allison Schratz, Kim O’Donnel, Barbara Samuels

September 9-10, 2011

Seated:

Lee Maliniak & Suzye Fleming Back Row: Ruth Weaver, Lalitha Sankaran, Lan Ngo, Sudy Fisher, Christine Shields

November 18-19, 2011

A text received by

one of our tutors

from his student.

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CLC STUDENTS !! Remember to sign your name on a slip of paper and put it in the FISH BOWL each time you come to the Literacy Council to work with your tutor!

Maybe YOU will win $10 from the monthly drawing! Our most recent winners:

2011: September — Darren’s student, LeMarcus October — Don’s student, Salvador November — Todd’s student, Luke

(Our thanks to Collierville Presbyterian Church who has made this incentive possible!)

NOTE: The Official Practice Test, (OPT), must be taken BEFORE registration

deadline. Registration for GED is due 10 days prior to test date.

See Carol!

GED GED

Test-Test-

2012 GED TEST

DATES:

Tuesday Feb. 28

(Registration deadline Fri.,

Feb. 17)

Tuesday April 17 (Registration

deadline Thurs., Apr. 5

Congratulations

On Your Graduation

Our congratulations to each of you and to the tutors who helped you reach your goal.

Good luck as you move forward!!

September 27, 2011 Grads:

Harrison S. Kyle S.

Joshua S.

Jessica F.

Taylor M. Priscilla M.

Matthew S.

Zachary B. Mark B.

Christopher B.

Lindsey E.

James F. James L.

Javon P.

Regina R.

—REMINDER! Wednesday & Thursday Talk Times & Coffee & Conversation (C&C) follow the Shelby County Schools calendar and weather related school closings! If school is closed, there is no Talk Time or C&C .

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Thursday Talk Time… Welcomes new Leaders!

Ginny Mullaney and Lynn Burdge (pictured left) have taken the reins of our Thursday Talk Time, which provides an activity for our ELL students who

are waiting to be matched with a tutor. Talk Time allows them to start working on their English skills here at the Col-lierville Literacy Council. They meet each Thursday, from 10-11:30 a.m. and talk about all kinds of things.

Kelley Seitz and Pam Rubenstein continue to meet with their Wednesday Talk Time ELL students. Pictured to the right is their fall celebration...with an assortment of favorite inter-national foods!

in Collierville. Preparing and serving the meal, the Knights have hosted the dinner for CLC tutors, students, staff and guests for the past 10 years. Service awards for five years of volunteering as a tutor with CLC were presented to Pat Albee, Rita Compton, Greg Hight, Tasha Kawell and Coleen Martin. Ten year service awards were pre-sented to tutors Debbie Noa and Stella Woehst.

Last year, more than 550 students, including over 100 who passed the GED, were served by CLC, with many receiving one-on-one tutoring. Volunteers contributed more than 7000 hours of service. CLC staff would like to acknowledge and thank our very ac-tive volunteer Board...who organize and host this lovely time for the other CLC volunteers. It all is for the benefit of the students who come to the Collierville Literacy Council in search of help in basic Literacy, English as a Learned Lan-guage and GED preparation.

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Tutors AND Students — Check this out!

Phonetics: The Sound of American English

www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html (Once you select a letter, two video

options appear to listen to the sounds.)

A great resource for ELL!

There. Their. They’re not the same!

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Kroger Cards

Donate to the Collierville Literacy Council While You Shop !!

Our thanks to those of you who have and use these reloadable gift cards from the Kroger grocery stores.

For those of you who would like to support the CLC in this way: 1. Pick up the gift card at the Collierville Literacy Council. 2. Take it to the Kroger where you shop. 3. Load your gift card at the register (or customer service desk). 4. Use it to pay when you check out and 5 percent of the amount loaded

will be donated to CLC.

Thank you for making

this effort.

It does add up!

Opportunities! Questions? Call us!

901-854-0288

What works for you?

You Can Help! Become a Volunteer Tutor! Be a SCRABBLE FUNdraiser Sponsor ($100-$5,000) for 2012

or a SCRABBLE Player ($75 for a team of 3 players) Dedicate Memorial and/or Honorarium donations for friends and family members.

Donate “In Kind” Gifts Such As: • Grocery store gift cards for Tutor Training and Tutor Support Gathering refreshments. • Printing and/or postage for our annual report or brochures. Your business or

organization will be named “The Sponsor.” • Office Supply Store gift cards for office supplies. • Books of Postage Stamps

Kroger Cards: Take along CLC designated grocery cards from Kroger when you shop. Every time you check out, CLC will receive $.05 of every dollar spent! Contact CLC for more information and start using them now!

• Holiday Greeting Cards, designed by Tara Oaks Elementary students to

benefit Collierville Literacy Council. Select from a choice of 3 cards. Deadline to order is DECEMBER 9, 2011. Go to www.colliervilleliteracy.org and click

on “Holiday Cards Fundraiser” in the box on the left side of the page.

2011-2012

Dates:

Dec. 23– Jan. 1, 2012 - CLC closed for Christmas Holiday—no staff in office

Jan. 2, 2012– CLC resumes regular hours! Jan. 16—CLC closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day Jan. 20-21 — New Tutor Training & 101 classes

Feb. 17—GED registration deadline Feb. 28 - GED Testing in Collierville

April 5— GED registration deadline April 17—GED Testing in Collierville

June 8—GED registration deadline June 19—GED Testing in Collierville

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To Our Faithful Contributors ~ THANK YOU! September 1—December 6, 2011

Donations in memory of Mrs. Elizabeth B. Parr from

M/M Roger Albee; Bancorp South family; M/M Bob Kelsey; M/M Tom Wood; Kay and Taylor Stamps; M/M George Lofton; Jay, Sarah, Austin and Hunt Walne

Donation in honor of Michael Burnett by M/M Chul Kim

Individual Supporters: Nighat Rooziman; Nathan Collins; an anonymous Fed Ex department; Chong Ropp; Joel Tracy from Fed Ex Scarlett Leadership donation; M/M Steve Wayne; Twentieth Century Club; Town of Collierville; Linda Dalton; Linda Huffman; M/M Jay Walne; M/M Roger Albee; Kelly Beach; Mary Jane Randolph

Donations In Kind: Kim Sauer; Jeanna Juleson; Priscilla Dollar; Alan Cooper; Nancy Barberis; Henrietta Alvarez; Stations & Career Solutions Department @ FedEx; Dave & Julie Parks

*Thank you to our students who have purchased their books!

*Our thanks to so many of you who choose Collierville Literacy Council as your designated donor recipi-

ent during the United Way Campaign at your workplace.

*Our continued appreciation to the

Town of Collierville for the use of our facility. *Special thanks to Kroger for their non-profit support of the gift card program...AND

to all of YOU who use the cards registered to CLC.

The Collierville Literacy Council wants to recognize supporters of our programs!

If there is a correction, please call 901-854-0288.

Mission Statement

The Collierville Literacy Council is a

non-profit organization dedicated to

providing opportunities for adults to

attain educational goals that enhance

individual growth and benefit fami-

lies, the workplace and the commu-

nity.

Governing Board Pat Albee, President

Henry Stokes, President Elect

Kim Keough, Immediate Past President

Carol Petschonek , Secretary

Elizabeth Lofton Bettina Roberts

Carlton Anderson Matt White

John Barrios Wanda Chism

Joel Tracy Gerri Jernigan

Annette Key

Staff: Karen Ray, Director

Carol Faller, GED Coordinator

Julie Parks, Volunteer Coordinator

Kelly Thieme, Literacy Coordinator

Elizabeth Wayne, Bookkeeper

Volunteers: Mary Jane Randolph,

Elizabeth Wayne, Janet Jones,

& Nectar Cantu

Wishing each of you, the Happiest of Holidays ~ & a wonder-filled New Year!

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The Annihiletters took 1st Place in the 7th annual Scrabble FUNdraiser Tournament. Pictured above are Cyndi Long, Shelley and Kelsey Kraemer.

Diamond Sponsors: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church & Collierville United Methodist Church

Platinum Sponsor: International Paper

Gold Sponsors: City Center, Commercial Appeal, FedEx Retirees, Zycron, Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Baptist Collierville Hospital, First TN Bank, Anonymous!, Phillips Emergency Lighting, Potash Corp., St. George’s Independent School, Steve Thompson, DDS

Bronze Sponsors: Ameriprise Financial/Kirk & Associates, Bancorp South, Barrios Financial Services, Brooks Museum, Collierville Chiropractic/Dr. Barry Kelton, Cook Systems International, Hampton Inn/Collierville, Harrell Performing Arts Theatre, Chad & Christy Kelsey, Kroger, George & Sissy Lofton, MphasiS, New Neighbors, Norkol, Inc., Orpheum Theatre, Betty Owen, CPA, Pepsi Beverages Co., & Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc., 20th Century Club, U of M/Carrier Campus

Table Sponsors: Banyan Tree Realtors, Bentley Consulting, The Brooks Collection, Clyde M Crutchfield, Atty., Collierville Community Civic Club, Custom Travel, Dillards/Collierville, Fites Automotive, The Avenue at Carriage Crossing, Tiger Gift Store, Soul Fish Café, TEK

2nd Place: Rzepczynski Scrabblers-

Larry Durbin, Debbie Ross & Amanda Durbin

3rd Place: Bingo Bonkers-Jan Speare,

Cheryl Miers & Bill Looney

Best Team Name: ALPHABETTEREADERS-

Debbi Hicks & Kirsten Hall

Thanks, Jim Williams, for the photos!