The Youth Literacy 2022 summer camp training started on Monday, June 13th. We are training 26 student interns, including two returning from last year! Their ages range from 15 to 20. The interns are attending a week of training from June 13-17, and then they will work with the campers three times a week from June 21st to August 11th. Each intern will work with 1-2 campers in one-on-one sessions for about an hour. Welcome!

The Youth Literacy program provides tutors to students in grades K-5 during the academic year as well as through a summer camp reading initiative. Literacy Together has established a formal partnership with two after-school programs – Youth Transformed for Life (YTL) and Christine W. Avery Learning Center (CWA).  Youth Literacy Program Director Julie Taylor and Program Assistant Tiffany Grimme have recruited 26 summer interns. We anticipate serving 75-100 children this year.   An abundance of research supports the implementation of community-based summer bridge programs to decrease reading loss, especially for youth from low-resource households. A study published in Reading & Writing Quarterly (2018 34:3, 263-280) demonstrates that a well-designed, community-based summer program can improve literacy skill outcomes for elementary-aged students.  The Literacy Together summer camp intentionally emphasized recruiting youth of color for paid internships to serve as tutors. Recent research documents that students of color taught by those who share their identities and cultural backgrounds benefit academically and emotionally (source: Teach for America, June 2019).    In last summer’s program, the bond between the interns and campers was almost instantaneous, and the results were encouraging. The campers received pre-and post-tests conducted by Title I Reading Specialists from Asheville City Schools, using the same tools used during the school year. Of the campers who completed both the pre-and post-tests, 41 out of 44 (93%) improved their test scores in at least one literacy area. The summer camp experience is beneficial to the interns/tutors as well. They learn a new skill, gain the experience of a summer job, have an opportunity to “give back” to the community, and receive letters of recommendation. Once a week, they attend professional development sessions on interview skills, financial literacy, and how to describe the intern experience in college essays and resumes.  Watch our new video that features students and their tutor in the Youth Literacy program.

Authors for Literacy 2022 was a triumph! Finally, after several delays and date changes, we could enjoy an evening with Delia Owens. Her keynote was terrific!

She also spent time doing a Q&A and signed copies of Where the Crawdads sing for folks. 

The Fund-A-Need auction raised over $37,000!  If you were there, THANK YOU! There is still time to contribute!

You can see more photos of the event on this page or our Facebook account.   Thank you, Jesse, from Photo KIt Photography, for doing a fantastic job.   Thank you for helping us fulfill our mission to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy and our vision of a just and equitable community in which literacy is accessible and achievable by all!

Our core values

Lifelong Learning

• We believe the pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey for our students, tutors, staff, board, and community.
• We offer transformative learning experiences to people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

Individual Dignity

• We believe individuals have the power to reach their own potential through teaching, learning, and community involvement. 
• We trust and believe in our students when they share their experiences, goals, insights, and vision. 
• We co-create learning environments where the dignity, worth, and complexity of each person is honored. 

Equity and Justice

• We believe access to lifelong quality education is the cornerstone of a more just and equitable society.
• We commit to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our organization and recognize that racism is a major barrier to achieving a community where literacy is accessible to all. 
• We serve as equal partners with students, tutors, staff, and board to help students reach their goals.

Leadership and Innovation

• We respond to a changing landscape, creating new pathways for groups and individuals to reach their full potential. 
• We initiate collaboration in a nonpartisan manner to engage the community in advocating for the change required to create a more literate Buncombe County.
• We commit to the highest standards of professionalism, honesty, and integrity in all individual, business, and community interactions.

Thanks to our ESOL volunteer tutor Anne Dachowski for giving her testimonial to Mountain Xpress and helping us accomplish our mission to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy! Anne has been a tutor for 17 years. We appreciate you! Thanks, Mountain Xpress, for your continuous support!

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program teaches oral English, reading, and writing to adults who have immigrated to the U.S. from around the world. ESOL is the largest program at Literacy Together, serving approximately 250 students annually. Our students’ most common goals in learning English are to improve their employment prospects, help their children in school, and pass the U.S. Naturalization exam.