I’m a big believer in getting involved in community organizations. It’s the best way I know to make friends, grow as a person and help others. Here’s a small sampling of groups I’ve been involved with:
-Washington Literacy Council:
The Council helps illiterate adults develop the reading and writing skills they need to succeed at work and beyond. I’m a tutor with the program, and work with a student for about an hour to two hours every week. The program is wonderfully structured, and includes specific techniques to improve a student’s reading and writing ability, and I’ve learned as much from it and my student, as he has from me. I became a tutor in January 2010.
-American University Honors Program Mentor
I’m mentoring a senior in the public communications program, during her last semester at college. Were covering everything from salary negotiations to personal branding. We began in February 2010, and will continue till May. The program is fantastic, and I look forward to continuing to pursue it.
-Bethesda Help
Bethesda Help is a charity based in Bethesda, Maryland. Its services range from providing food to those who can’t afford it, to helping people pay for utilities, find legal services etc. I’ve edited BH’s monthly newsletter for its 120 volunteers, since October 2007. If you live in the Bethesda area, please consider volunteering with this very worthy cause. Click here for more details.
-Language ETC
I taught English to (mostly) Spanish-speaking immigrants for about 18 months (Sept. ‘07 to April ‘08; Sept ‘08 to July 2009), via Language ETC, a literacy nonprofit in Washington, D.C. I’ve done about 50 weeks worth of teaching, for a total of about 150 hours.
I was never particularly interested in teaching. I was intimidated, in fact. But the program is well-structured and easy to manage. I loved seeing my students understand a concept or get ahead at their job or in life, by learning English.