Volunteer Spotlight: Katherine

1. How long have you been volunteering with TLA?  

This is my second year working with TLA.

2. Why did you decide to volunteer at TLA?                                     

I love reading, and I enjoy working with young students. I am a former junior/senior high school English teacher and librarian/library director. I worked with a similar program in Michigan called HOSTS (Help One Student To Succeed), and I was excited when I saw a flyer about this program in my local library. I also volunteered with a literacy program in Ft Wayne when I lived here previously in the 1980s.

3. What has been the best part of your experience so far?

The best part of my experience has been the joy of working with some delightful third-grade students. They are enthusiastic and always ready and willing to learn. I look forward to the time we spend together. I’ve also enjoyed interacting with other volunteers.

4. Do you have a favorite volunteer role/task with our organization?  

My favorite role is working directly with the students. They enrich my life in so many ways.

5. What have you learned about yourself and/or about others through volunteering at The Literacy Alliance?     

I have learned that spending just an hour a week working one-on-one with a child can make a big difference in their life and mine. I saw my student last year grow and mature in her abilities, and I’m seeing the same progress in my student this year. They, and the other students and tutors, enrich my life and help an 81-year-old woman feel vital and part of a positive project.

6. If you were to encourage someone else to volunteer with our organization, what would you say?

I would encourage others to look outside themselves – to try something new. By giving of ourselves, we expand our horizons and gain at least as much as we give.

I’ve gained a sense of purpose and made many interesting new acquaintances. Volunteering is a win-win activity.

7. What is one of your favorite books you would suggest others to read?

I am a voracious reader. I belong to several book clubs and love books and reading. Just as picking a favorite child is impossible, so is picking a favorite book. A few of my many favorites include the Louise Penny books featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, most of Pat Conroy’s novels and his My Reading Life, Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Carlos Ruiz Zafron’s The Shadow of the Wind, and more and more and more!

8. Is there anything else you’d like to include?

I would just like to thank TLA for this excellent program. I hope that it will continue to grow and expand. It is a great experience for the students and for their tutors.