2023 Language Accessibility Volunteer of the Year: Esther Kim

Profile Written by: Ben Hollingshead, Volunteer

The Words Alive 2023 Language Accessibility Volunteer of the Year awardee Esther Kim is a gifted translator and editor who works on translating Words Alive reading kits from English to Korean.

Originally from Daegu, South Korea, Esther’s family moved to northern Virginia when she was very young. While Esther finds it hard to pinpoint what sparked her interest in reading, she knows it started when she immigrated to the United States. “At a time of drastic transition from one place to another (and from one language to another), I often found solace in literature.” Esther found immersing herself in the world of the characters in the novels to be a comforting and enriching experience that sustained and reinvigorated her. After high school, she went to Georgetown University for her undergraduate degree in Accounting and Japanese, and she spent a few years after graduating in public accounting. She is enjoying a gap year before she attends Columbia Law School this fall.

Esther found Words Alive on Volunteer Match as she was looking to work on something meaningful during her gap year. Since she started to volunteer with Words Alive in July 2022, she has completed nine translations and edited four translated drafts. In talking about what her volunteer work means to her, Esther shared that she gets a lot of joy and fulfillment knowing that the work she does as a translator is shared with Korean families in San Diego, families who share her background and upbringing. Esther believes that “reading is one of the best ways to immerse in the lives of others while appreciating the beauty of language. I volunteer with Words Alive to help cultivate a love for literature and reading among students and their families.”

This extraordinary volunteer loves to ski in her spare time, is a massive fan of the X-Games, and listens to Japanese rock. Esther, thank you for all your hard work, and congratulations on winning the Language Accessibility Volunteer of the Year!

Book Recommendation: Esther is currently reading Island by Aldous Huxley. Some of her other recommendations include: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

The Power of Volunteering

This post was written by Brooke Gallegos, a high school student and Words Alive volunteer.

A picture of Brooke.

Personally speaking, volunteering has helped and changed me so much more than I could have ever imagined. I decided to volunteer in order to gain hours for school and maybe help people along the way, but it soon became much more than that. I have struggled with anxiety my whole life and nothing has truly worked in soothing it.

But when I began helping people, all of a sudden, I felt myself become better for the first time in a long time by watching others’ lives improve at the same time. When you volunteer and truly witness the importance of dedicating your time to others, it becomes so much more than accumulating hours for honors or a way to fill your spare time. As you help change the world in your own backyard, it changes you, too. This is not simply a belief or an opinion — it's even backed up by science! Volunteering is good for the body, mind, and soul. 

How Volunteering is Good for Your Body

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” -Elizabeth Andrew, 20th century political activist.

Volunteers from the University of California, San Diego leap for joy on their way to compile Words Alive’s Learning Kits to help students learn from home.

This is absolutely true not only in a metaphorical sense, but in a scientific one as well. Not only do volunteers have kind, caring hearts that yearn to help others; they are also physically healthy because of the work they do. From handing out books to creating craft kits to organizing a fundraiser, activities that keep volunteers up and moving can also provide physical health benefits. In 1992, a Health and Retirement Study tested 7,100 individuals over the age of 50 who volunteered for at least 200 hours a year. The study found that those who volunteered in comparison to those who did not were less likely to develop high blood pressure which leads to stroke, heart failure, and early death. Physical benefits are not true solely for our seniors, but for young people as well. A study conducted on adolescents who volunteered one hour a week concluded that volunteering produced healthy hearts and a lower BMI. In a world where pressure can push in from all sides and stress comes on when you least expect it, volunteering can provide a remedy. 

How Volunteering is Good for Your Mind

A Words Alive volunteer reads aloud with a group of kindergarten students as part of our Read Aloud Program.

Volunteering does not only soothe the stress monsters that attack your body, but also the ones that weigh on your mind. Episodes of depression and anxiety can strike at any time during periods of loneliness, but if you experience meaningful social interactions with others, these ailments are soothed. For those who may be experiencing an identity crisis later in their lives, volunteering can provide confidence and a sense of purpose from feeling needed and appreciated. Humans are designed to thrive when helping others. According to recent findings, being helpful by volunteering produces what can be described as “happy hormones.” Volunteering can spark physical reactions that actually improve mental health and wellbeing. 

In addition to these mental health benefits, people can begin to shift their focus away from themselves by recognizing the problems others may be facing, too. People begin to rise out of their despair by being a part of something bigger than themselves. As supported by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s research, service is a remedy to loneliness. Our place and purpose in the world are given validity when we positively impact the lives of others — and ultimately, the future. When you're engaged in your community today, you can help create a better tomorrow for everyone, including yourself.

How Volunteering is Good for Your Soul

A Words Alive volunteer ‘reading role model’ and the classroom with whom she reads with children each week - just after giving every child a book to keep as part of the program.

Your physical and emotional well-being are not the only things fostered by volunteering — your soul is, too. The soul is fostered by connecting with the community and living by the mindset that makes the most of today; for yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. When you witness the impact of your actions, from the look on a young child’s face when they find a book they love, to the reaction of a parent when they witness the beginning of a love for reading, your soul is better for it. The skills and knowledge you have gained throughout your life can be utilized to improve the lives of others while also providing you with a sense of motivation.

Volunteering is really all about a choice when frequently, a lot of things in life are not. In a life that is too short, we have the choice and the opportunity to remain in the moment while improving the lives of others. Is that not what life is all about? Seizing the moment and helping change the world.

Volunteers in Words Alive’s teen program, Adolescent Book Group, hold up examples of the powerful, diverse, and engaging novels they read with teens in the book club style program.

Martin Luther King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” What are you doing for someone else? How are you making the world a better place right now? You can begin volunteering to answer that question. However, once you start doing something for others, you start doing something for yourself, too. You begin improving your mind, body, and soul. Whether you help develop curriculum, read a book, organize a fundraiser, or simply donate, the key to changing the world while also changing yourself is right around the corner.

If you’d like to start your volunteering journey at Words Alive, click here to learn more. 

Meet the Curriculum Leads!

Here at Words Alive, we have four incredible volunteers who have stepped up to lead our Curriculum Crew — a team of more than 85 volunteers! They help coordinate other volunteers to write, edit, and design our curriculum guides and Write Now prompts. Read on to discover their favorite books, their reasons for volunteering, the challenges and rewards of being a curriculum lead, and more.

Cheryl Converse-Rath: Writing Lead

Tell us about yourself! (if you have one, what's your favorite book and why?)

I am a newly retired 7th grade social studies teacher from Marshall Middle School. I love to travel and read. I don't know that I have a favorite book, but one that has stuck with me a long time is Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper. Every chapter was in a different voice, which really made me question my beliefs—they seemed to change every time another character spoke. It really made me think hard about how I make decisions. The ethical choice the parents were forced to make and the sister 's awareness of that choice haunt me to this day.

What does being the Writing Lead involve?

In addition to writing curriculum, Learning Kit guides, and reviewing books for Page Turners, my "job" is to find people from the volunteer list to also write Curriculum and Learning Kits for accepted books. Sometimes the requests are "urgent" and we have to get a lot of writers on board quickly! Words Alive recently received two grants [for exciting new program partnerships]; the curriculum and learning kits have to be done by next month.

How did you get involved with Words Alive? Why do you volunteer with us?

I got involved with Words Alive because I knew I wanted to volunteer with kids and reading after retirement. The 1st place I signed up to volunteer for only needed 1 hour / week and it would be months before things got started. I reached out to Jose Cruz, the CEO of San Diego Literacy, and he told me about Words Alive. I love the mission and the variety of ways I can be involved. I can work a lot or a little. For now, being able to work a lot is helping me keep sane.

What are the most rewarding/most challenging aspects of your role?

The most rewarding part is to see how different volunteers take on the writing. It is great to have so many voices! The most challenging is when fewer people respond than what we need. I have to remember that although I am pretty free these days, not everyone else is.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Words Alive has introduced me to so many books and writers I would never have discovered on my own. I have read several YA books and have passed a couple on to other students I volunteer with in another program. My kids are all grown, so it has been a long time since I have spent time with picture books. The message and illustrations in Crown: Ode to a Fresh Cut and The Undefeated are inspirational!

Nanditha Krishnan: Editing Lead

Tell us about yourself! (if you have one, what's your favorite book and why?)

My name is Nanditha Krishnan and I’m a junior in high school. I’m an artist, I love using charcoal and taking photos out in nature. I’m also a classical dancer and I’ve been learning the Indian classical dance form Bharatanatyam for 11 years now! My favorite book has got to be Revival by Stephen King. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that fast before, and it kept me on edge the entire time I was reading!

What does being the Editing Lead involve?

It mostly involves distributing newly written guides to the editors and then passing them, once finished, on to the designing team. The leads organize guides by priority and type, such as curriculum, learning kits, and then further by age group. I also get to talk to a lot of the new volunteers who join the crew so that I can learn what kind of guides and books they prefer editing for.

How did you get involved with Words Alive? Why do you volunteer with us?

I got involved with Words Alive through another program called Californians For All. I initially was interested in the Read Aloud Program, but I ended up joining the curriculum team to help edit guides. (I also thought being on curriculum would give me an excuse to buy more books). I was excited to be a part of Words Alive because I really enjoyed reading as a kid and I wanted other kids to get the chance to read and learn from great books.

What are the most rewarding/most challenging aspects of your role?

The most rewarding aspect of my role is getting to learn new perspectives from the editors. For example, the editors with young kids will point out things about learning activities that might be fun for kids to try that I had never even thought of. As a high schooler, I’m definitely not as familiar with what kids might enjoy, so its exciting that I get to meet so many different people and see things from their view.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Something new that I learned when I became a curriculum editor is the amount of work that goes into building social/emotional learning (SEL) questions about themes in novels. I had never heard of SEL before joining Words Alive so I found it really interesting that outside of checking comprehension, the guides were meant to create meaningful conversations about social topics and teach new themes.

I’m currently reading George Takei’s They Called Us Enemy!

Vivian Lin: Design Lead

Tell us about yourself! (if you have one, what's your favorite book and why?)

I am a UCSD Human Biology graduate with a minor in Psychology and I'm currently preparing to apply for med school! My favorite book is If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino. It's a very special book in which each chapter is seemingly telling its own story, but as you read on, you will realize that all individual stories are connected!

What does being the Design Lead involve?

[It] involves managing the designing stage of all the curriculum projects. Essentially, I coordinate with our excellent curriculum designers to finalize SEL icons, format curriculum guides, and design learning kits!

How did you get involved with Words Alive? Why do you volunteer with us?

I found Words Alive when I was looking for online volunteer opportunities during COVID. I am very glad that I found Words Alive because I just love the message the organization is spreading across local communities as well as how passionate everyone on the team is! Overall, volunteering with Words Alive has been a very rewarding and enriching experience!

What are the most rewarding/most challenging aspects of your role?

It always warms my heart whenever I see the finalized curriculum projects because I know that each of them has been the product of very solid teamwork!

Anything else you'd like to share?

Sara [our Community & Content Manager] is a super amazing coordinator! She's super helpful and very patient! Big shout out to her! :D

Marcus Weber: Write Now Lead

Tell us about yourself! (if you have one, what's your favorite book and why?

Hello. My name is Marcus Weber. My favorite book is a series, named Tucket’s Travels written by Gary Paulsen. It’s the story of Francis Tucket, a fourteen year old traveling west with a wagon train. The series chronicles his adventures and mishaps. I was drawn to the resourceful creativity Francis used to survive in the wilderness and amongst strangers as he faced challenges in the unforgiving wilderness.

What does being the Write Now Lead involve?

Write Now is a place for teens to cope and connect with current events. I coordinate a team of volunteers to produce writing prompts about current events. We post these prompts to the Words Alive website for anyone to use in their processing of current events. The most exciting part is hearing back from the people who use our prompts.

How did you get involved with Words Alive? Why do you volunteer with us?

I first became aware of Words Alive through the Target App. The app gives you the options to donate points to local nonprofits and Words Alive was one of them. Words Alive's mission to inspire lifelong learners through reading speaks to an instrumental aspect of my life: self-education. I enjoy knowing my effort is creating for others, the foundation in literacy which has benefited me tremendously in my life.

What are the most rewarding/most challenging aspects of your role?

There are many rewarding aspects of this role; working with other volunteers is one of my favorites. I get to read the creative prompts that are contributed by our team of volunteers. The most challenging aspect is maintaining a consistent stream of content; quality writing prompts take a decent amount of coordination before they are posted to the website.

Anything else you'd like to share?

We are always excited for new volunteers to join our team. If you're unsure of how much time you can commit to Words Alive, writing prompts for Write Now is a great place to start.

—

We’re so thankful for these four volunteer leaders and all that they do! If you’ve been inspired by their stories and would like to work with them on the Curriculum Team, click here to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: November 16th, 2020

Welcome to The Words Alive Reader, a regular newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we've been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

- Zoe, Eli and Titiksha, Words Alive Storytelling Team

Processing the Election With the Power of Writing

Red, blue, and purple word bubbles made of paper spell “Be The Change.”

In our last edition of The Words Alive Reader, we shared about the launch of our virtual Read Aloud Program — we now have 33 classrooms participating! This week, we want to share something else we've been working hard on: Write Now, a digital space for teens to cope and connect with current events through writing.

As emotions run high over everything that's going on in our country right now, we're highlighting several of our Write Now prompts that feel especially fitting for this moment. Use them with your students or children, or try them for yourself. We hope that they empower everyone to reflect and respond in healthy ways to current events. 

Explore positive ways to respond to the news, remember to take a self-compassion news break, and, finally, think about ways to be the change you wish to see in the world.

2020 Authors Event & Fundraiser: Success!

Screenshots of Ayad Akhtar, Dr. Seth Lerer, and an image of Homeland Elegies. Text reads: “Annual Authors Event — Featuring Ayad Akhtar in conversation with Dr. Seth Lerer.”

With an entirely new, online format, this year's Annual Authors Event and Fundraiser was an adventure for all of us! We are grateful for everyone who came together to make this event a success.

More than 250 attendees joined us from all over the country, raising $77,000 to connect children, teens, and families to the power of reading. It brought us so much joy to see our community come together in this way.

If you missed the event, don't worry! You can still support us by purchasing access to the prerecorded conversation between Seth and Ayad through the end of 2020. Thank you for supporting Words Alive! 

Write Now with Susan Meissner

A picture of Susan Meissner in front of posters of her books.

Susan Meissner is an acclaimed author, a San Diego local, a Words Alive volunteer, AND one of the authors in this year's Authors Auction! At our latest Write Now workshop for teen writers, brought to you by Words Alive and the San Diego Public Library, she had plenty of advice for aspiring writers, especially when it comes to tackling the familiar enemy known as writers’ block. “It’s kind of like when you go into a pool, or the ocean, and the water is kind of cold, but stay in it, and your body finally acclimates,” she said. It’s all about persistence!

Find the full workshop, along with other exclusive videos from published authors, on our website!

Plot Twist: Logan Holland

A picture of Logan Holland.

Our volunteers come from all different kinds of backgrounds, proving that great books impact us all. Take Logan Holland, for example: a graduate student in biology at UC San Diego. The lessons she draws from her favorite books go hand-in-hand with her studies. As Logan puts it, “I wanted to understand humans biochemically, and then figuratively with literature.”

To read more about Logan’s unique perspective on the intersection of science and literature, and learn why she volunteers with Words Alive, check out Plot Twist, our new blog series! Keep an eye out for more stories in the future on the Words Alive blog.

Join the Words Alive Page Turners!

Graphic illustrating the “Life Cycle of a Page Turners Book.” Through Page Turners, new books are (1) discovered, (2) read, (3) reviewed, and (4) loved by our program participants!

We launched Page Turners in January so volunteers could help us choose the books we read with our students. Since then, more than 600 volunteers have joined Page Turners, contributing nearly 1,900 hours of service! This has allowed us to add 30 new books into our programming, with the knowledge that students will be engaging with high-quality titles our Page Turners have already read and loved. Some of our students at Monarch School are even reviewing books for Page Turners! Through this program, they're taking ownership of what they read in a very tangible way.

Are you interested in joining a community of passionate readers who are helping us read and review books? Visit our website to learn more.

Donate here to support Words Alive!

Plot Twist: Logan Holland

Welcome to our new blog series, Plot Twist! Here, we'll be sharing the stories of people in the Words Alive community — stories of change, growth, and maybe a few surprising twists! We hope that through these stories, you'll get to know our community a little better and see the power of literacy come to life.

A picture of Logan.

Meet Logan Holland, one of our awesome Words Alive volunteers! Logan is currently a graduate student at UC San Diego studying mitochondria and the heart, and she is a passionate and dedicated supporter of our mission. We sat down with Logan to talk about the surprising connection between science and literature, the role of books in her own life, and why she volunteers with Words Alive.

Logan joined us in 2018, during her second year of college. She was feeling unfulfilled in her undergraduate science classes—“like I needed more words and literature in my life,” she puts it—so she did a Google search and discovered Words Alive. She started out as an ABG and Art & Lit volunteer and has gone on to support us in many different roles since!

Logan's current favorite book, Bone Light by Orlando White.

“Literacy definitely impacts every single facet of everyday life,” she says, describing how literacy factors into civic engagement, navigating the healthcare system, and developing critical thinking skills (“becoming a better human!” as Logan puts it). And at Words Alive, she says, “Everyone is super passionate about reading and really spreading reading as not just a hobby, but as something that can really further education, further people’s opportunities, further people’s futures. That’s why I’ve stayed and tried to get involved as much as I can.”

In addition to the importance of basic literacy skills, she's passionate about the power of story to change lives. “Everything I did in college is because of books that I read as a kid,” she explains, “which is why I want to work with this organization.”

Words have held an important role in Logan’s own life ever since she was little, a book-loving kid reading for hours to pass the time while her parents worked. But until she began volunteering with Words Alive, she didn't fully appreciate how far books have gotten her. “Only one of my parents went to college, so I did not have this strong academic upbringing,” she says. But today, as a graduate student, she concludes: “I think the only reason I’m here is because I was reading a lot of books.”

““Doctors are interacting with humanity in a pretty raw form, right? Literature is doing the same thing, but just in a different way. It’s just really getting into what makes us human.””

The books that she read inspired her to explore the connection between science and stories with a major in biochemistry and a minor in literature and writing. “I like to think of myself as a double major at heart,” she says. “I wanted to understand humans biochemically, and then figuratively with literature.”

Her passion for exploring the human condition eventually led her to the field of medicine. “Doctors are interacting with humanity in a pretty raw form, right?” Logan points out. “Literature is doing the same thing, but just in a different way. It’s just really getting into what makes us human.”

She points to the framework of narrative medicine as an example. In narrative medicine, clinicians are trained to see illness, diagnosis and treatment as a story. “They’re having doctors read books and take creative writing classes to foster that empathy because that is super important in clinical practice, but also everyday life,” she explains. Logan sees this as evidence that stories are vital for helping us connect with and understand each other more deeply. “The more books we can get everyone reading, the better,” she declares. And through her work with Words Alive, she’s helped us do just that.

A screenshot from our Zoom conversation with Logan.

Since the pandemic hit, Logan has really taken leadership in training other volunteers to make an impact in this new virtual environment. She’s always enthusiastic and eager to help others understand the impact of the work they’ll be doing—she even recruited her roommate to start writing curriculum for us!

Throughout this experience, she has been surprised and encouraged by the amount of people who have stepped up to help. “It has been really amazing to work with Sara [our Communications Manager] and just recruit a lot more people because I think the more people helping, the bigger the better, the bigger the impact,” she says. She misses seeing the results of her work in person, but until then, she says, “I really hope that Words Alive can keep using the power of the internet to spread their message and recruit more volunteers.”

Of all the many hats she’s worn at Words Alive, from helping with Art & Lit to translating literacy sessions in Barrio Logan to virtually training other volunteers, writing curriculum is her favorite. Through her time volunteering in classrooms before COVID-19, she saw firsthand how good curriculum impacted the students she worked with; well-written questions got them engaged with a story, excited about a character or passionate about a cause.

A student speaks about the 2019 Art & Lit project, “The Radius of All of Us.”

She remembers one Art & Lit experience in particular, when she was able to see the impact of the book The Radius of Us on one of the students. “He gave a speech of gratitude of how much this book changed his perception of the world,” Logan says, smiling. “That is my favorite memory. To see that impact in one person was very, very cool.” 

Knowing that the questions she writes can lead to such powerful reactions is why she loves curriculum writing so much. “I’m just writing words on my computer at home,” she says, “but people are interacting with these words and they’re becoming ideas, or passions, or career choices—which is my life story.”

Logan, we’re so grateful for the time and energy you dedicate to bringing the power of words to our community. Thank you for sharing your story with us!

Celebrating Our Incredible Volunteers

An screenshot of many (but not all!) of the volunteers who attended our 11th annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration. Many are holding a glass up in cheers.

Here at Words Alive, we were so excited to celebrate our volunteers during the 11th Annual Words Alive Volunteer Appreciation Celebration. Although this event looked very different than it did in the past (it was our first ever virtual event!), we were so honored that 60+ volunteers joined us to celebrate their accomplishments over the past year. Words Alive is volunteer founded and volunteer led, and we could not do the work we do without them. Thank you, volunteers!

If you missed the event, you can see the recording here! Without further ado, here are our award winners.

Volunteer of the Year: Karen Malin

An image of Karen leading fellow volunteers in a social emotional learning workshop!

Karen orchestrates remarkable classroom-based experiences, not only in person when she’s in the classroom, but behind the scenes spending countless hours writing and enhancing curriculum and helping train other volunteers on how to incorporate the best teaching practices into their work. She’s the very first person who steps up when there’s an opportunity to help.

For 5 years, she has served as a revered watchdog to ensure the impact our volunteers make in the classroom is front-and-center at our fundraising events and community gatherings. And she serves as an advocate and voice on behalf of our growing network of volunteers as one of the newest members to our Board of Directors.

Corporate Volunteer of the Year: HP Inc.

An image of two of our scholars showing off their new HP laptops.

Marvin Gross, Head of Emerging Solutions in Business, and Words Alive volunteer and mentor, Ben Gamboa, worked together to submit an HP grant to benefit Words Alive, which resulted in a $6,000 gift and new laptops for our scholars. They also facilitated a computer literacy workshop for the scholars, which provided helpful essential information for our students navigating college and first-time computer ownership. We still hear that they utilize the tools from the workshop.

Leadership Volunteer of the Year: Hiring Committee

The hiring committee had the immense responsibility of bringing our new Executive Director, Rachael Orose, to Words Alive. Programs Director Amanda Bonds worked intimately alongside Danny Cung, Jeffrey Goldman, Al Goodman, Kay Gurtin, Lisa Kalal, Sandra Korwek, Leslye Lyons, Andrea MacDonald, and Karen Silberman. Putting the right leader in place is an enormous responsibility and one that perhaps has a greater lasting effect than any other singular act of service at an organization. This team nailed it and we are indebted to their efforts!

Family Literacy Program Volunteer of the Year: Peggy Ratner

A screenshot of Peggy holding up her award at the virtual volunteer celebration.

Peggy has served as a translator in the program for three years and has helped countless parents connect to the power of reading in the learning language most comfortable for them. About 50% of families in the program speak Spanish and providing ideas and encouragement in that home language can make the difference between coming to hear a story and embracing that habit at home for themselves. Every teaching artist Peggy has worked alongside in the program has sung her praises anew and we couldn’t do this work without her! Thank you, Peggy!

Read Aloud Program Volunteer of the Year: Hema Lall

An image of Hema passing out books to students.

Hema shares her love of reading through engaging read-aloud sessions with preschool students, and recently added a 1st grade class to her schedule. She goes above and beyond for her students. During the winter book giveaway, she read Flat Stanley and the Very Big Cookie and brought the words alive when she gave students gingerbread cookies to decorate after they read the book together. In addition to her commitment in the classroom, Hema volunteers for special events – most recently at the Farmers Insurance Open through Champions for Youth, where she helped over 70 kindergarten students pick new books to take home! Thank you, Hema, for your dedication and hard work!

Mentor of the Year: Sarah Beauchemin (written by her mentee of three years, Lexi Martinez)

A screenshot of Sarah from the virtual volunteer celebration.

I wanted to take a moment and recognize one of the most inspiring and essential people in my life. I met Sarah almost three years ago in a little café and with our mutual love of cats and finding new adventures, I knew instantly that this was a serendipitous match. Sarah’s constant support has gotten me through academic and personal hardships but knowing that she was always on my side has helped me prevail over any obstacle.

A little tradition that Sarah and I have is that for our monthly meetings, we never go to the same place twice. This has encouraged us to get to know each other’s interests and develop new ones together. Although each one has been memorable in their own way, the ones that stand out at the moment are when we went to an improv comedy show, a Picnic at the park, and the Haunted Trails at Balboa. I often return to these memories when I am struggling and need a boost of positivity.

I have learned so much about myself and what I am capable in thanks to Sarah’s constant optimism for my future and I just want to thank you so much for always being there for me. I feel so fortunate to have you in my life and part of me is upset that I a m graduating because I loved sharing my academic experiences with you but, I know that this bond that we have nurtured for all these years will still be strong even after I walk the stage for graduation.

I want nothing more than to see you succeed in anything you choose to do and I know that I have relied on you for support throughout all of these years, but I hope that you know that I am also a support system to you and I would drop anything to help you. I don’t think anyone is more worthy of this magnificent recognition and thank you so much for being such a kind and amazing person to me. I hope to one day be as resilient and inspiring as you. I appreciate you completely.

Virtual Volunteer of the Year: Zoe Wong

A screenshot of Zoe from the virtual volunteer celebration.

This is a new award given in light of the immense amount of online support we’ve received in the last two months from volunteers all over the country. Zoe is supporting us from Northern California and stood out immediately for her reliability and consistency. Zoe helps us write and schedule social media and not only is she a great writer, but she has the attention to detail that the projects need. In addition, Zoe has submitted numerous prompts for our QuaranTEENS online resource page and has helped to edit videos for our Kids Reading to Kids series. We’re so thankful for the time and energy Zoe has put into volunteering for our organization at such a turbulent time.

Adolescent Book Group Volunteer of the Year: Bernadette Delaney

A screenshot of Bernadette from the virtual volunteer celebration.

In her time as a volunteer, Bernadette has been enthusiastic to innovate and try new things. She has facilitated Adolescent Book Group in an all-boys class for students on probation, piloted the program with an independent study class, and supported our venture into the middle grades. Adolescent Book Group inspires teens facing extraordinary circumstances with books they can relate to, and it takes a special dedication to draw these students into the books and discussion.

This year, Bernadette facilitated a notoriously rowdy class of homeless 6th grade students. “My students are reading in a different way than they did in the past,” the classroom teacher shared. “They’re engaged.”

Talking to Bernadette is like being wrapped in your mom’s hug–she’s always nurturing, positive and warm– something that these kids so desperately need!

Curriculum Volunteer of the Year: Mary Weatherup

An image of Mary standing in front of Shakespeare & Co.

Words Alive curriculum guides, particularly for our Adolescent Book Group Program, are often more than 20 pages long and can take 30 or more hours to write. In the last year, Mary has written three of these guides, more than anyone else by far. Mary is very reliable and is an excellent writer. Whenever there are curriculum tasks to be done, Mary is often the first person to jump at the chance to help. We are so thankful for her passion and thoughtfulness when it comes to providing students and teachers with the resources they need!

Student Volunteer of the Year: Annika Schafer

A screenshot of Annika from the virtual volunteer celebration.

Annika started her journey at Words Alive on our curriculum team and has a real talent for analyzing books and coming up with excellent thought-provoking questions and prompts. Beyond that, Annika has helped us organize spreadsheets that make our curriculum production easier as well as other critical behind-the-scenes work in the office. She is thorough, communicative, and proactive and always produces high-quality work. Annika goes to college in Massachusetts but still manages to find time to help Words Alive. We’re so thankful for her time and dedication.

Office Volunteer of the Year: Melissa Levin

A screenshot of Melissa from the virtual volunteer celebration.

Melissa has been volunteering for Words Alive for the past year and brings her enthusiasm to everything she does. In addition to volunteering in the Read Aloud Program with 1st and 2nd graders, Melissa volunteers in the office to support our staff by preparing projects and materials for various programs, including the 2020 Art & Lit project. Melissa takes on challenging projects and is always happy to support Words Alive, our staff, and her fellow volunteers. We are proud to present Melissa with this year's Words Alive Office Volunteer of Year award! Thank you, Melissa!

Partner of the Year: HandsOn San Diego

A screenshot of Jessie from the virtual volunteer celebration.

HandsOn San Diego is an organization that works tirelessly to connect volunteers to opportunities in their communities! This past year we have hosted more book sorting and crafting events with HandsOn San Diego than ever before and have had a record number of volunteers join our organization after discovering us through HandsOn. Here to accept the award is Jessie Case, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator for HandsOn San Diego.

Rookie of the Year: Lita Kleger

A screenshot of Lita from the virtual volunteer celebration.

Lita Kleger began volunteering with Words Alive in August. Since then, Lita has supported the Adolescent Book Group, bringing books alive for teenagers facing extraordinary circumstances such as homelessness, violence, teen pregnancy, and impact by the justice system. Lita's passion for serving her community is evident from your first conversation with her-- and she excitedly takes on new projects and supports other volunteers in the process.

Thank you to our 380+ volunteers for making the work we do possible! You are inspiring a love of reading throughout our community! Learn more about our virtual volunteer opportunities here.

Carolina Enriquez - Volunteer of the Month - December 2018

Carolina is an aspiring editor who joined our Words Alive Family as an intern in the summer of 2018. Her writing skills, experience working and communicating in an office, and familiarity with social media marketing made her a perfect candidate for our social media internship. Throughout her internship, Carolina helped create content and measure our visibility on all platforms. She volunteered outside of her role to support our events as well! Carolina volunteered at the VIP Reception for the 2018 Author’s Luncheon and Fundraiser. There she met and interacted with Words Alive supporters, helped with setup and organization, and saw the finished product of her marketing efforts over the summer.

Carolina is a devoted and caring individual who fit in perfectly with our team! We have been so fortunate to have her positive attitude and skilled support over the past six months. Thank you, Carolina!

Learn more about Carolina from the interview below!

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in San Diego all my life. Since I was very young I grew up loving books. Right now I’m a senior at San Diego State University, studying English and Publishing! I enjoy discovering new books and poems to read. Aside from that, I enjoy walking my dogs, hiking, and drinking lots of coffee! I aspire to be a creative editor for a publishing company one day!

2. How did you get involved with Words Alive?

During the summer of 2018, I didn’t take any classes and was just working at my job as a receptionist. I wanted to do something meaningful and related to my future field. Luckily I found an ad for Words Alive online and I promptly applied. What first got me interested was Words Alive’s mission to advocate for children’s literacy education. As a lover of books, I can’t imagine my life without reading. I think what they are doing is incredible!

3. What is the most rewarding part of your volunteer role(s)?

As a social media intern, I worked on creating content for various platforms. I absolutely loved my volunteer position and I learned a lot throughout my internship. The most rewarding part is probably knowing that the posts reached people and motivated them to volunteer! I also enjoyed writing the posts and seeing the impact Words Alive has in our community through the blog posts and even events like the Annual Author’s Luncheon and Fundraiser.

4. What are you reading lately?

I love a variety of genres in books. From fiction, nonfiction, YA, and classic literature. Right now I am reading “Becoming” by Michelle Obama.

Jennifer Van Pelt - Volunteer of the Month - July 2018

Please join us in congratulating Jennifer Van Pelt - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for July 2018!

Jennifer has been a lead writer for the Words Alive Blog since February. Her ability to research and create content around relevant topics is a tremendous asset to our communication team and our organization. Her efforts continue to boost our blog views and highlight Words Alive as a leader in transforming lives through literacy.

We are so appreciative of the nearly 100 hours she has given in writing time so far!  And, we are thankful she shares her talent with our organization.

Thank you, Jennifer!

Check out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Jennifer below:

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a San Diego Native and attended SDSU for a Business Management Degree, emphasis in Human Resources. I enjoy talking to and helping people and also volunteer to teach English Second Language -- nothing is more rewarding to me than seeing others succeed. 

When and how did you first get involved with Words alive?
My passion for helping people is what attracted me to Words Alive. I love that we give our participants the tools to achieve their goals and inspire those around them to do the same.

What is the most rewarding part of your volunteer role(s)?
The most rewarding part of volunteering with Words Alive is being able to witness all of the good that Words Alive does -- our success stories, photos, and events speak volumes for the organization and the impact we have on others. I am excited to see how Words Alive grows!

What have you been reading lately?
I have been reading the Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, inspired by my recent trip to Greece!

What Does it Mean to Volunteer at Words Alive? (Part 2)

By Jennifer Van Pelt

This article is part of a series in which we highlight and celebrate stories from our volunteers, and explore what it means to volunteer at Words Alive. Read Part 1 here.

Our volunteers and donors at Words Alive enable us to serve over 5,000 students and families every year, and we would truly be unable to work towards our goal of inspiring a commitment to reading throughout San Diego County without all of their support. These volunteers are not only able to connect with students and exceed expectations when teaching in the classroom, but they are also passionate about the difference they make in student’s lives! They eagerly come back week after week because they enjoy working with children and they are able to see the inspiration they incite and change they make in the future of the children and their families. Read below for some first hand stories as to why our volunteers love being a part of our Words Alive family!

An image of Katherine Finley, Office and Teen Services Intern, with Jessica Fryman, Teen Services Program Manager, at the 2017 Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Ceremony.

Katherine Finley, Office and Teen Services Support Intern, said: “It is extremely gratifying knowing that I’m working with a cause that helps others discover and foster a love of reading. The impact Words Alive has is especially visible when attending the Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Ceremony and hearing the heartfelt stories of students improving their literacy skills and their futures.”

Many of our volunteers get involved with Words Alive as a way to continue their love for teaching or get involved in a career they perhaps weren’t able to pursue previously. Karen Malin, a Read Aloud Program and Event Committee Volunteer, said: “My volunteer work with Words Alive gives me the opportunity to tap into my varied experience acquired from 40 years in education. Whether writing curriculum, working with preschool parents, sharing the message of the importance of early literacy or reading with first graders (my favorite!) I am excited to be making a difference in the lives of children and families. Volunteering with Words Alive is energizing, fulfilling and a lot of fun!”

An image of Karen Malin, Read Aloud Program and Event Committee Volunteer, accepting an award at Councilmember Lorie Zapf's Volunteer Appreciation Day.

Julie Adams, a Words Alive Read Aloud Program volunteer is a retired speech/language pathologist. Part of her work included the encouragement of reading and discussing books as a family so vocabulary, language comprehension, and oral communication could improve. In retirement, she still strongly supports this development of pre-literacy and literacy skills by volunteering with Words Alive. She said, “I like to think that sharing a love of books with young children (and their teachers and parents) will be a kind of contagious act, infecting the receptive eyes, ears and minds of the listeners with a bug to read another good book...It’s exciting to see delight in the reaction of kids who suddenly figure out the meaning of an author’s “play with words”, or are able to point to and count words in a title, or notice an illustrator’s clue about what’s coming next, or share an emotion of a book character they like. Though it doesn’t happen with every book, it’s definitely reinforcing to me as a reader when kids spontaneously clap as the book ends and there is a clamor from the children to “read it again.” Why do I continue to volunteer with Words Alive? I hope I’m helping kids develop some of the very basic early literacy skills that will give them succeed as they move to formal reading instruction in school, and just as importantly, helping them develop a life-long love of books and reading.”

Petra Bauer-Ryan, an Adolescent Book Group Volunteer, has said, “I could not think of a more worthy cause. Sharing my passion for books and love for reading with these young minds and seeing them challenging themselves and growing is more rewarding and inspiring than I could put into words.”

These are just a few stories about the rewarding and inspiring experiences that our volunteers are able to enjoy every week with our students and families. As an organization with over 550 volunteers, there are countless more experiences to be shared by existing volunteers and even more to come from future volunteers! Whether you are a book-lover or enjoy teaching others, there are several different ways to bring your passion into the classroom. To get involved in supporting our mission of improving literacy in San Diego, visit our page here to review the opportunities and create a story of your own!

Sonya Williams - Volunteer of the Month - May 2018

Please join us in congratulating Sonya Williams - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for May 2018!

Sonya has been with our volunteer family since December.  She has already made such an impact on her Adolescent Book Group students and teachers at South Bay Blended Tech in National City. Sonya’s charisma is unparalleled, which makes her a dynamic facilitator. She has a knack for commanding attention from her group of raucous teens while keeping the session fun and engaging. She makes it a point to provide one on one attention, connecting with individual students throughout each creative writing session.

Sonya has also contributed to the program by writing curriculum guides.  And, she has started to help facilitate volunteer orientations – sharing her classroom experiences and tips with new volunteers. 

Her support is well-rounded and given with such positivity and energy.  Sonya, we are so lucky to work with you!  Thanks for giving us your time.

Check out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Sonya below:

Tell us a little about yourself.
I have always loved reading. As a young child, I was always sneaking off to read a book (and I still do). My love of reading took me to England for my master’s degree in English Literature, inspired me to start several book clubs, teach college, ESL and literacy classes, run an educational center, write curriculum, and develop training programs and e-learning courses. These days, I also spend a lot of time reading Mo Willems books with my kids.

What is the most rewarding part of your volunteer role(s)?
I initially got involved with Words Alive to develop curriculum, but was convinced to teach an ABG writing class, and I’m glad I did. It’s so rewarding to develop real connections with individual students, and to see a powerful, personal piece of writing come from a student who doesn’t speak in class. And it’s inspiring to work with the classroom teachers who invest their lives in these students.

What have you been reading lately?
I’m currently reading Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.