(above) Screen shot of Zoom celebration.
Literacy NJ Celebrates Year of Commitment and Success
On June 4 over 120 students and volunteer tutors came together via Zoom to celebrate a year of commitment and success in learning English. Literacy New Jersey’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program provides free classes to adults who want to improve their language skills in order to find jobs, help their children in school, and become more involved in the community.
Thanks to the generosity of Literacy New Jersey volunteer tutors, the celebration included a raffle of $1,700 in gift cards, with students earning raffle tickets based on the number of ESL classes they attended. The raffle was the highlight of the night for students, many of whom have faced difficult challenges due to Covid-19. Students also received award certificates for 50+ instructional hours, with some students completing over 100 hours in the program.
The majority of students attended classes at the Elizabeth Public Library until closure due to Covid-19. Not to be deterred, students and tutors quickly transitioned to online platforms such as Zoom, Skype, and Whatsapp to finish out the year and successfully complete their studies.
Literacy New Jersey generally provides daytime and evening classes at libraries throughout Union County. In addition to English classes for immigrants, Literacy NJ offers GED prep classes and support for adults who struggle with reading and writing.
Online classes are planned for the fall semester. For more information about the Literacy New Jersey program, or becoming a volunteer tutor, please contact Barbara Bagger, Program Director at 908-486-1777 or bbagger@literacynj.orgor visit the website at literacynj-unioncounty.org.
