The personal rewards of being a Literacy Suffolk tutor are nearly as varied as the volunteers themselves. 

For Mary Ellen Smith of Holbrook, a retired pediatric ICU nurse, tutoring was a way to become a teacher like her mother without having to stand up in front of a class. 

For Margaret Moore of Smithtown, a retired teacher, tutoring provides an opportunity to create her own curriculum “to meet student’s goals about what they want to learn.” 

And for Wendy Dann of Patchogue, developing a friendship with one of her students and a deeper understanding of the country and culture she came from was an unexpected benefit.

The motivation to work one-on-one with adults determined to improve their English skills, however, is remarkably similar. Tutors want meaningful work that directly improves people’s lives. 

On Tuesday, April 26, Literacy Suffolk recognized the generous spirit of its tutors during a Volunteer Recognition Breakfast at the Suffolk Cooperative Library System in Bellport. 

“Tutors are the heart and soul of Literacy Suffolk,” said Board Member Amber Gagliardi of Center Moriches, who organized the breakfast with Executive Director Susan Shiloni of Medford and other staff members. 

Literacy Suffolk and the New Normal

More than 60 people–from librarians and representatives from partner organizations like SEPA Mujer and CARECEN, organizations that empower immigrants, to donors like Suffolk OTB and tutors themselves–attended the breakfast. 

Ms. Shiloni praised the more than 100 tutors who worked through the pandemic by adapting their lessons to Zoom, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and other virtual technologies. These tutors not only helped their students improve their English language skills, they helped students cope with the often devastating consequences of the pandemic, including lost jobs and food insecurity

With the growing opportunity for tutoring in person again, the number of Literacy Suffolk tutors is growing but still considerably less than before the pandemic. The result is 300 adults are waiting to be tutored. Ms. Gagliardi urged librarians to promote Literacy Suffolk and for everyone to talk to friends and neighbors about becoming a Literacy Suffolk volunteer.

Literacy Suffolk will soon offer a live remote workshop for new tutors that will make training more convenient and engaging.

Literacy Suffolk Works 

During the past three years, Ms. Shiloni noted 10 Literacy Suffolk “graduates” became U.S. citizens. In conversations over breakfast, tutors discussed other student milestones that inspired them as tutors. 

“It’s exciting when we reach the level of having a conversation,” said Judy Schwing of Kings Park, who began tutoring during the pandemic. 

Grace Werner of Dix Hills, who has tutored about a dozen students since she started in 2006, showed pictures of a student’s four daughters, two of whom are now in college. Learning English was imperative for this mother, Ms. Werner said, because “she wanted to be an effective advocate for her children.”

Board President Loretta Piscatella of Oakdale noted that two current board members, Don Chiappetta of Dix Hills and Martha Maffei of East Moriches, were once Literacy Suffolk students. Now retired, Mr. Chiappetta was a successful businessman. As executive director of SEPA Mujer, Ms. Maffei has played a major role in the organization’s remarkable growth.