welcome to new letc staff - washington english center · vocabulary and idioms, ... finally...

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CONVERSATION CLUBS AT LANGUAGE ETC: CASUAL, COMFY, CREATIVE! L anguage ETC’s 20th Anniversary celebra- tion held on May 6th was a huge success! Our dedicated supporters, volunteers, stu- dents and staff gathered at the beautiful Jones Day rooftop party-room and deck overlook- ing the U.S. Capitol building to celebrate two decades of LETC accomplishments. The views and food were amazing but the highlights of the evening were the inspiring speakers. Three of LETC’s students spoke about how LETC has impacted their lives. Reyna Duran- Baires, from Mexico, explained that taking classes at LETC enabled her to advance in her job at the Washington National Cathedral and gave her the confidence to volunteer to help with the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. She was very proud to be able to take part in this important event. Her presentation was so compelling that later in the evening she was offered a job at a bank by one of our guests! Hongliu Wang, from China, mentioned that many of her fellow classmates found employ- ment as a result of what they learned in their Workplace Advanced English class, and that in her job teaching Chinese at American Uni- versity, she uses activities and other teach- ing tips that she has learned from her LETC teachers. Jose Munoz-Martinez from Honduras recalled not being sure he could afford to take classes because he did not have a job. He was relieved to find out he could enroll in classes regard- less of his ability to pay the low tuition fee. He started in the Basic level and rose all the way through Advanced. He now supports his wife and young son by working for a non- profit that provides tutoring for Latino youth. Pilar Laugel, LETC’s founder, gave a brief history of the organization and reminded us of how many lives we have touched. With more than 1,000 students enrolling each Continued on page 5 Language ETC Celebrates 20 Years! LETC student presenters: Reyna Duran-Baires, Hongliu Wang, Jose Munoz-Martinez In ThIs IssuE... Improving the lives of immigrants through education. SUMMER 2013 EXEC. DIRECTOR LETTER Page 2 PHILAN- THROPY Page 3 NEW STAFF Page 5 LETC’s DONORS Page 4 LETC SCHEDULE Page 6 By susan Joseph T he opportunity to lead a one- hour conversation club at LETC was alluring. Spontaneous conversa- tion was always my favorite part of the regular textbook-based classes. I used to devote the first part of each class, when students would straggle in, and the last part, when some might have to leave early, to open discussions of current events and ideas for exploring Washington, DC. I welcomed the opportunity to lead students in conversation for a whole hour without knowing quite what that would demand. Language ETC offers conversation clubs for students at three levels: beginning, intermediate, and ad- vanced. Students currently enrolled in regular classes can attend on a drop-in basis, and the sessions are free. Over the last two terms my approach to leading the advanced conversa- tion club has changed. It’s become focused less on “teaching” and more on stimulating conversation. In the past I had been presenting a newspaper article at the beginning of each class, such as Sally Quinn’s Washington Post article last January arguing in favor of big inauguration festivities. The class was then divid- ed into small groups to practice new vocabulary and idioms, with the goal of having the students teach their material to the class. This was too formal. Now I try to have four 15-minute activities: news (some- times led by volunteer Gabby Geier), presentation of a controversial topic, Continued on page 5

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CONVERSATION CLUBS AT LANGUAGE ETC: CASUAL, COmfy, CREATIVE!

L anguage ETC’s 20th Anniversary celebra- tion held on May 6th was a huge success!

Our dedicated supporters, volunteers, stu-dents and staff gathered at the beautiful Jones Day rooftop party-room and deck overlook-ing the U.S. Capitol building to celebrate two decades of LETC accomplishments. The views and food were amazing but the highlights of the evening were the inspiring speakers.

Three of LETC’s students spoke about how LETC has impacted their lives. Reyna Duran-Baires, from Mexico, explained that taking classes at LETC enabled her to advance in her job at the Washington National Cathedral and gave her the confidence to volunteer to help with the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. She was very proud to be able to take part in this important event. Her presentation was so compelling that later in the evening she was offered a job at a bank by one of our guests!

Hongliu Wang, from China, mentioned that many of her fellow classmates found employ-ment as a result of what they learned in their Workplace Advanced English class, and that in her job teaching Chinese at American Uni-versity, she uses activities and other teach-ing tips that she has learned from her LETC teachers.

Jose Munoz-Martinez from Honduras recalled not being sure he could afford to take classes because he did not have a job. He was relieved to find out he could enroll in classes regard-less of his ability to pay the low tuition fee. He started in the Basic level and rose all the way through Advanced. He now supports his wife and young son by working for a non-profit that provides tutoring for Latino youth.

Pilar Laugel, LETC’s founder, gave a brief history of the organization and reminded us of how many lives we have touched. With more than 1,000 students enrolling each

Continued on page 5

Language ETC Celebrates 20 Years!

LETC student presenters: Reyna Duran-Baires, Hongliu Wang, Jose Munoz-Martinez

In ThIs IssuE...

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

SUmmER 2013

2200 CaLIfornIa sTrEET, nW 202-387-2222 WashIngTon, DC 20008-3902

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

With nearly 2000 students annually, LETC provides practical and affordable

English language education in a diverse and wel-coming environment. Our proven student-teacher partnership approach to education removes barriers, giving students the confidence to fully participate at home, work and in society. Our small classes with two teachers and extra-curricular activities empower students to become self-sufficient.

As a leading, nonprofit school and advocate for adult education in the Washington, DC region, our volun-teer teachers help our students achieve success. With 70% of our students improving at least one literacy level each year, we have greatly exceeded the national average of 40%.

Our organizational focus is the successful integration of each individual immigrant into his or her commu-nity. Students come from 75 different countries on five continents, bringing different backgrounds and life experiences.

Language ETC is open 6 days a week. HOURS: mONdAy & WEdNESdAy: 1:30 Pm – 8:00 Pm

TUESdAy & THURSdAy: 9:30 Am – 8:00 Pm

fRIdAy: CLOSEd

SATURdAy & SUNdAy: 9:00 Am – 4:00 Pm

ImPORTANT dATES: JULy 4: CLOSEd fOR INdEPENdENCE dAy

JULy 13: TEACHER TRAINING fOR SUmmER TERm

JULy 15: BEGINNING Of SUmmER TERm

AUGUST 25: ENd Of SUmmER TERm AUG 31 - SEPT 2: CLOSEd fOR LABOR dAy

SEPTEmBER 7: TEACHER TRAINING fOR fALL TERm

SEPTEmBER 16: BEGINNING Of fALL TERm

OCTOBER 14: CLOSEd fOR COLUmBUS dAy

for furThEr InformaTIon, CaLL LETC aT 202-387-2222.

SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org5

year, the number of people who have passed through LETC’s doors over the past 20 years is almost unimaginable.

LETC has evolved from a small church-based program to one of the largest DC area non-profit organizations providing English as a Second Language instruction to adult immigrants. In the past 20 years LETC has grown to offer eleven levels of English classes throughout the year.

Thank you to all of our supporters and friends who joined us in this milestone celebration. It was an evening we will always remember!

EXEC. DIRECTOR LETTERPage 2

PHILAN-THROPYPage 3

NEW STAFFPage 5

LETC’s DONORSPage 4

LETC SCHEDULE

Page 6

20 yEaRs of LETC ExECuTivE DiRECToRsJeanie Lee Boehmler, Pilar Laugel (LETC founder), Mercedes Lemp (LETC Executive Director), Carolyn Morrissey

By susan Joseph

T he opportunity to lead a one- hour conversation club at LETC

was alluring. Spontaneous conversa-tion was always my favorite part of the regular textbook-based classes. I used to devote the first part of each class, when students would straggle in, and the last part, when some might have to leave early, to open discussions of current events and ideas for exploring Washington, DC. I welcomed the opportunity to lead students in conversation for a

whole hour without knowing quite what that would demand.Language ETC offers conversation clubs for students at three levels: beginning, intermediate, and ad-vanced. Students currently enrolled in regular classes can attend on a drop-in basis, and the sessions are free. Over the last two terms my approach to leading the advanced conversa-tion club has changed. It’s become focused less on “teaching” and more on stimulating conversation.

In the past I had been presenting a newspaper article at the beginning of each class, such as Sally Quinn’s Washington Post article last January arguing in favor of big inauguration festivities. The class was then divid-ed into small groups to practice new vocabulary and idioms, with the goal of having the students teach their material to the class. This was too formal. Now I try to have four 15-minute activities: news (some-times led by volunteer Gabby Geier), presentation of a controversial topic,

Continued on page 5

NEW LETC

STAFFWelcome to new LETC staffSteven White and Lee Griffith, who served as LETC’s

volunteer coordinators for several years, left us this spring to pursue other opportunities. Both Steven and Lee were incredibly dedicated. They enthusiastically managed and supported hundreds of LETC volunteers and ensured they were prepared to teach their classes. We were sad to say goodbye to them but are fortunate to welcome new staff who we know will also do a fantastic job.

Alyssa Jacobsen is LETC’s new Weekday Volunteer Coordinator. Alyssa was a weekend volunteer teacher for over a year and was hired in a part-time support position before taking the full-time position of Volunteer Coordinator. Prior to joining LETC, Alyssa served as a Special Projects Coordinator at the Pentagon Memorial Fund and as an Events Coordinator and Registrant Manager at the C. S. Lewis Foundation. She speaks intermediate French and basic Hindi/Urdu, has a BA from Walla Walla University and a graduate certificate from American University in Cross Cultural Communications.

Denis-Illige-Saucier joined LETC last April as Manager of Weekend Programs and Partnerships. Denis served as a university English instructor and a teacher trainer while serving in the US Peace Corps at the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan from 2010 to 2012. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Denis held various writing jobs, was the Director of the Writing Center at the Odyssey School in Denver and was the Editor-in-Chief of The Evansville Review. He has an M.A. in English from the University of Denver.

We welcome back Clodoaldo Lopez as our new Office Manager. Clodoaldo returned to LETC in March after having served in a similar position at LETC from 2006 through 2009. He joins Claudia Belloso, in a newly created fulltime position that will help LETC better manage and track the hundreds of students that register each term. Clodoaldo has served in administrative roles at the National Hispanic Medical Association and at Generations United. He also served as a Partnership Development Intern at Partners of the Americas. He has a BA in Business Administration from the Universidad Americana, in Managua, Nicaragua.

Emily Naber is the newest addition to our staff. Also coming to us after first serving as a volunteer teacher, Emily is getting her master’s degree in TESOL and is serving as a program assistant, helping with teacher resources and classroom observations.

When you see these new faces around the school, please introduce yourself and say hello!

20YEARS!

Conversation Clubs Continued from Page 1

small groups to discuss the topic or apply it to their home culture, and then finally coming together for student presentations to the whole class.

What may the fu-ture hold for the conversation clubs? Ideas include making the clubs more social by introducing book groups, a student list-serv (which is working well in the regular Advanced Plus evening class), a Twitter account, or a blog. Excur-sion groups could move the conversation beyond the four walls of Language ETC. Any way you look at it, conversation groups help build the LETC community of teachers and students by expanding students’ famil-iarity with American culture generally and life in DC specifically. And as teachers, we benefit from learning more about our students in the comfortable and casual atmosphere of our new conversation clubs.

** Taken from the LETC teachers blog posted on June 7, 2013:susan Joseph started tutoring at Language ETC in the fall of 2010. she has since taught levels 1a and 2B, finally settling in advanced and advanced conversation as a member of the daytime teaching team.

20 Years! Continued from Page 1

a small contribution goes a long way at Language ETC.donate through www.languageetc.org (Click on Network for Good on the home page) or use this form. Student tuition is only $120 for a three month term. Your contribution enables us to offer classes at these low prices and provide scholarships whenever needed.

Language ETC2200 California street, NW

Washington, DC 20008

ReflectionsAs we close our 20th year, we reflect on how much we have accomplished, while looking ahead to exciting opportunities on the horizon. Twenty years ago, Father Jose Somoza of Our Lady Queen of the Americas asked Pilar Laugel if she could teach English to some of the parishioners. Pilar accepted the priest’s offer and began recruiting students and teachers. The school clearly filled a need: the first Monday of classes over two hundred students showed up, many of whom had heard about the program at church the day before. Today, during every three-month term, over 750 students register for English, computer, citizenship and Spanish literacy classes.

While some things remain the same, many things have changed since the early days. There are now eleven levels of instruction, and since 2004 students have been able to take classes on weekday mornings as well as in the evenings and on weekends. With over 350 volunteers every year, we can offer tutoring as well as conversation and writing classes at no extra charge. Community service fairs are held on a regular basis to introduce students to a variety of social service providers, including free medical and dental clinics. And this year we started offering off-site classes at the DC Shaw Public Library, two apartment buildings in Columbia Heights and in Laurel, MD. We continue to increase the number of students we serve each term and each year. This year we will finish with total enrollments of over 2600!

While things change, expand and improve, the impact we have on our students is still what inspires all of our staff, volunteers and donors. As we made plans for our 20th Anniversary celebration we wanted to include presentations by a few students who could speak about how LETC had improved their lives. I quickly realized there was no shortage of amazing stories from students who were more than willing to present in front of a room full of people, to show how grateful they are to LETC and to their volunteer teachers. The three students who spoke, and are featured in the article about the gala, were incredibly moving and a great representation of the student body as a whole.

Here’s to another 20 years! MercedesLemp

LETTER fROm THE ExECUTIVE dIRECTOR

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

2www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

3SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org

4

Visit Our Website –www.languageetc.org

Amy F. BergerJennifer F. BrowningMary Janice Dicello

Charles DittrichJohanna Mendelson Forman

Susan HattanJoseph Khoury

Stephanie G. LawsonBonnie Loeb

Tamera LuzzattoThea Mason

Carlos MartinSylvia Miller

Diane L. MooneyKaren Yudelson Sandler,

ChairNatalie Wexler

Mercedes Lemp, Executive Director

EmERITUS BOARDPilar Laugel,

Founding Director Susanne K. Bennet

Ellen BennettFrances F. ButlerKarren DeSeve

Francis P. Dicello, Esq.Renee L. Feather

Mark FrenchKathleen Hendrix

Robert Kanchuger, Esq.Edward R. M. Kane

Alexia KelleyGerald Langan, Esq.

Phil Rizik

Transitions:LETC Board of Directors

W e are happy to welcome Joseph Khoury and Johanna Mendelson Forman to LETC’s Board of Directors. We

also wish the best to departing Director, Tamera Luzzatto.

Joseph is a Pre-Construction Manager at MCNBuild and has been involved in the construction management industry for more than fifteen years. He has served as a project manager on numerous projects involving non-profit organizations in the District including the Democratic National Committee’s Headquarters’ Building and the headquarters of the International Campaign for Tibet. In 2007, he joined MCN Build as the director of preconstruction. Joseph is a LEED Accredited Professional, and also volunteers with the USGBC National Chapter on the LEED for Schools committee.

Johanna Mendelson Forman is a senior associate with Americas Program at CSIS, where she works on renewable energy, the Americas, civil-military relations, and post-conflict reconstruction. She served as a director at the UN Foundation and has held senior positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bureau for

Humanitarian Response, and the Office of Transition Initiatives, as well as at the World Bank’s Post Conflict Unit. She also served as an adviser to the UN Mission in Haiti. She holds adjunct faculty appointments at American University and Georgetown University. Johanna is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the advisory boards of Women in International Security and the Latin American Security Network, RESDAL. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Tamera Luzzatto is the managing director of Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She ensures that Pew’s wide range of nonpartisan policy work at the state, federal, and international levels is effectively and accurate-ly communicated to policy makers. She served as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chief of staff in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2009. Prior to her service with Sena-tor Clinton, Ms. Luzzatto worked for West Virginia Senator John D. Rockefeller IV for nearly 15 years, serving as legis-lative director and chief of staff.

We thank Tamera for serving as a Director of Language ETC for the past three years. She has made an invaluable contribution to LETC with her wise counsel and her vast professional experience, and we wish her all the best in her many endeavors.

over $10,0000Amy Berger and Glen NagerNatalie Wexler and

James Feldman

$5,000 – $10,000 Jennifer and Vincent BrowningRose Gutfeld and Peter EdwardsSusan Hattan and Steven Kittrell Stephanie and Gene LawsonTamera Luzzatto and

David LeiterBonnie and Hamilton LoebEdward and Meghan QuinnElizabeth Wehrle and

Matt Miller

$2,000 – $4,999 Adrienne ArshtMorton and Grace BenderFran and Frank ButlerMary W. CarpenterMary Janice and Frank DicelloKindy FrenchLynn and Joseph HorningGeralyn and Martin LobelThea and Gary MasonSylvia and Nicholas MillerJack ReillyKaren and Joseph SandlerElizabeth Werner and

Carl Kravitz

$1,000 – $1,999 Susanne K. BennetEllen and Bob BennettDeborah E. BerkowitzJules Bernstein and Linda LipsettMelinda BieberPeter and Jenny BrodyDominique and Jonathan CahnMargaret and Mike CarvinKarren and Edward DeSeveCharles DittrichGeorge and Norma FabianRobert and Betsy FeinbergAnnette FranquiLucy HamachekRobert HamiltonRobin and Harvey HanerfeldMargaret and John HaugeMargaret HennesseyDr. and Mrs. LaSalle LeffallMaria Teresa MeyerSydney MillerIna MiltonDiane Mooney and

Frank PietrantonioSusan and Anthony QuaintonKathleen and Edward Quinn, Jr.Senator and

Mrs. John D Rockefeller, IVGilbert SandlerShrine of the Most

Blessed SacramentJoseph Sudbay and

Carlos MartinHarold and Jane YudelsonNancy and Harold Zirkin

$500 – $999 Marc Elliott AlbertKirby Behre and Jody CurtisHorton Beebe-Center and

Stephanie SlewkaVictoria Regina BurtonToni Clark and Richard BellMr. and Mrs. Bruce CohenLiz and Tim CullenCarlotta DicelloDeirdre E. DonahueNancy Donaldson and

Mark BohannonGus and Anne EdwardsAl Ferlo and Ellen AthasMarilyn and Willis GoldsmithDavid GoldstonBrent and Walter GooPeter D. HartMr. and Mrs. Peter HigginsMerilee Janssen and

David OldfieldSusan and Daniel JosephJan and Jean KalickiBob Kanchuger and

Margaret CotterMr. and Mrs. Edward KaneJoan KerriganRoland King and Judy PhairAna Claudia and Joseph KhouryGerald LanganSalo and Randi LevinasCarol and Eugene LudwigKaren and George MarcouRuth and Joseph McInerneyLawrence MerckerQuentin MeyerLaura QuinnPhil J. RizikRandi and Philip Rubovits-SeitzJocelyn Samuels and

Thomas OlsonMarcus SmallwoodMike and Mary Ann StantonFrances H. SymesPamela TomskiDiane and Robert WilburElizabeth and Kevin Wrege Daniel Yergin and Angela Stent

$200 – $499 AnonymousRobert N. AlfandreD. Philip BakerFernando BarruetaRobert Berish and

Barbara BrownBooz Allen HamiltonElaine and Richard BinderDiane and Keith BlizzardClara Elena Brillembourg and

George ChopivskyMaureen BudettiHeather and James ClessurasBrian and Lucy ConboyBarbara and Daniel CoxMoira and Thomas DawsonJohn Day and Judy MayMark Dembo and

Amanda LaForgeJennifer and Viet DinhIra Dosovitz and

Margaret SilverbergRobert and Debbie DrumhellerMary and Robert EcclesSusan ElmendorfShannon and

Richard Fairbanks

$200 – $499 continueddKristy and Ed FarleySusan and Michael FineAmy FinkelsteinSarah Flanagan and

Steven SelbyDr. and Mrs. Fleischer Johanna Mendelson Forman and

David FormanMargery and Dan FriedmanErin GormleyIrv Gornstein and

Susan LebeauxRuth B. GramlichPamela K. GreenMary Ellen and Michael GuerraMerna and Joseph GuttentagJudie Guy and Ed MikesellDebbie HardingOrin Heend and Susan PhilpMargaret and David HenslerFred HochbergLynn and Roger JasekEdgar James and

Katherine KinsellaGrif and Alix JohnsonDr. and Mrs. JonesPatrick JudgeSally KatzenSusan and Peter KeislerAlexia K. KelleyClaire KevillMartin and Arlene KlepperAmy and Ed KnightBarbara and Michael KrancerLarry Lawrence and Amy KotkinElena LazarJane and Ken LieberthalElizabeth S. LourieJohn D. MacomberCollette Magnant and

David MilzmanRichard and Elena MannDavid MauerJessica MayBetty and Herbert MartinDr. Jill McGovern and

Dr. Steven MullerDonna and Mack McLartyMichelle McNamaraJeanine and Donald MesserLeslie Miles and Jayson SchwamColin MillerDarrell and

Danielle MontgomeryBridget and Michael MorrisNeal Neuberger and

Mary Ella PayneElizabeth Nightingale and

Andrew HerrupBuck O’Leary and

Andrea HatfieldElly and Dan PerlDiane and Arnold PolingerBarbara Pryor and Brad GehrkePatricia ReillyKristin RoesserAndrew and Erin RossDiana RubinTulia Sanchez and Gene LesmezElizabeth SavageMartin Scherr and

Jeanne ConnellyTheresa SchlaflyPatrick L. SchmidtElizabeth and Lee SchoeneckerNaomi SeligmanNancy and Ira ShapiroStephen Shapiro

$200 – $499 continueddBetty ShirleyStephen SkubelTeresa SotoBarbara SteinBonnie and Robert TempleHarriet and Randy TritellPatricia and Edward VeronaJoanne VineSally von SummerMeredith and Peter WellingtonPhillip West and Barbara YellenKathryn Wilson and Steve MayPatrick WindhamNoah WofsyPenny and David Yao

up to $200 Asuncion AguilaTom Amis and Emily LawsonMr. and Mrs. Ricky Alpern-FischHedy and Brian BannonBarbara Bares and Marc EfronBarbara BargerElizabeth and Justin BauschMay BerkowitzKenneth and Sue Ann BerlinPatricia A. BorthwickDana and Mimi BresMary Brittingham and

David PlocherKen and Heidi BrotmanAndrea BrownPeter Bruns and Jennifer SheaHala and Stephen BuckKim BurnettThomas ButlerMartyn M. CaldwellNancy CarmichaelEllen Cassedy and Jeff BlumBrian ChamowitzNancy ChasenD’Vera CohnSue CohnJames ColeCaroline CroftFred CrouchCatherine CrumJames Denvir and

Rangeley WallaceJudson DolphinMary Douglas and James DickShay DvoretzkyCarol Emig and Michael DurstRob Enelow and Amy KossoffDavid and Lois EngelBarney and Patrice FeinsteinJane and James FitzgeraldTerrance and

Elizabeth FitzpatrickBarbara and Herb FranklinTom and Karin FreedmanAntonia Fondaras and

Joe GoffmanSteve and Renee GardnerEmily and Michael GarvinMary GawronskiTim and Megan GilesJed and Susan GoldartKen and Pat GoldingLincoln GrovesMegan GuentherThomas HallAnthony HarveyElizabeth and David HaselkornMr. and Mrs. James HoffmanKaren Hyun and

Michael Cummings

up to $200 continueddAnn IngramAndrew Joskow and Lisa SockettSherry KaimanAnn and Julius KaplanCheryl KariyaArthur Karlin and Beth BrophyDebra and Kenneth KarlinKathleen KearneyJoan KennedyGrace and Peter KimmAllison KirschJeanne KowalskiSonia LagosMr. and Mrs. Eugene LambertDarcy and Peter LangdonJane and Bob LeveyNoam Levey and Leslie PollnerJonathan LevinHershel Lipow and Susan SiegalManuel and Elia LopezCornelia LotzeJohn and Amanda LovelandMichael and Carolyn LynchDan and Maeva MarcusJoe and Carla MartinRobert Mazziotta and

Donna CassattaNancy and James McBrideFlori McClungCarrie and Andrew MonahanAnh NguyenPatricia NyhanJames and Michelle O’BrienMary K. O’MelvenyMargot and Richard PeetAgnes and Nap PietrykaJudy PrivenThomas QuigleyFlorence RaserBill and Susan ReinschBeverly and Daniel RezneckCarol and Eric RiceVirginia and Fabian RosadoLorraine Rose and Joel KaplanPhyllis RozmanCharlotte SabelSusan SaferDavid Schlitz and Stefania BerlaLester and Charlotte SchlitzDavid and Peggy ShiffrinFrancesca and Larry SlesingerRobert and Jennifer SpalloneSusan Spock and

Caldwell HarropKathryn StevensHarriett StonehillKathy and David StromJohn SukenikCatherine SunshineLeila TaaffeClaudia and James ThurberSeth and Lisa TuckerWilliam TrunkMelanne and Philip VerveerBrenda and Arthur ViereggPierre and Marie-Claire Wagner Valerie and Steven WayneDavid Wentworth and

Betsy BroderWilliam Wieand and

Betsy YounkinsJoseph and Lynda Zengerle

DONORSFALL ’12 –SPRINg ’13

THANK yOU TO THE fOLLOWING fOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

ANC 2dThe Acacia foundation

The morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz foundationClark Charitable foundation

The Corinna Higginson foundationThe dana foundation

John and Cora davis foundationdC Office of State Superintendent

of Educationdeloitte Consulting LLP

El TamarindoThe Hattie Strong foundationThe Herb Block foundation

The Barbara and Notz Hines foundationHoly Trinity Catholic Church

IdB-dC Solidarity Program of the Inter-American development Bank

The Jones day foundationThe Jovid foundation

The mayor’s Office on Latino AffairsEugene and Agnes E. meyer foundationOur Lady Queen of the Americas Church

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington dC

The Vilcek foundation

NEW BOARD

mEmBERS

Language ETC to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy 2013/2014f or the third time in its history, LETC is proud to announce that it has been

selected to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Over one hundred reviewers from foundations, corporations, corporate giving programs, giving circles, the philanthropic advisory community, and peer nonprofits evaluate hundreds of organizations for distinction, merit, and impact in order to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

The Catalogue represents some of the best smaller nonprofits in the Greater Washington region and Language ETC is proud to be included among them.

Enclosed is a donation of $: ________________

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

address: _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

in honor or memory of: ____________________________________________________________

Please notify: __________________________________________________________________________________

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

a small contribution goes a long way at Language ETC.donate through www.languageetc.org (Click on Network for Good on the home page) or use this form. Student tuition is only $120 for a three month term. Your contribution enables us to offer classes at these low prices and provide scholarships whenever needed.

Language ETC2200 California street, NW

Washington, DC 20008

ReflectionsAs we close our 20th year, we reflect on how much we have accomplished, while looking ahead to exciting opportunities on the horizon. Twenty years ago, Father Jose Somoza of Our Lady Queen of the Americas asked Pilar Laugel if she could teach English to some of the parishioners. Pilar accepted the priest’s offer and began recruiting students and teachers. The school clearly filled a need: the first Monday of classes over two hundred students showed up, many of whom had heard about the program at church the day before. Today, during every three-month term, over 750 students register for English, computer, citizenship and Spanish literacy classes.

While some things remain the same, many things have changed since the early days. There are now eleven levels of instruction, and since 2004 students have been able to take classes on weekday mornings as well as in the evenings and on weekends. With over 350 volunteers every year, we can offer tutoring as well as conversation and writing classes at no extra charge. Community service fairs are held on a regular basis to introduce students to a variety of social service providers, including free medical and dental clinics. And this year we started offering off-site classes at the DC Shaw Public Library, two apartment buildings in Columbia Heights and in Laurel, MD. We continue to increase the number of students we serve each term and each year. This year we will finish with total enrollments of over 2600!

While things change, expand and improve, the impact we have on our students is still what inspires all of our staff, volunteers and donors. As we made plans for our 20th Anniversary celebration we wanted to include presentations by a few students who could speak about how LETC had improved their lives. I quickly realized there was no shortage of amazing stories from students who were more than willing to present in front of a room full of people, to show how grateful they are to LETC and to their volunteer teachers. The three students who spoke, and are featured in the article about the gala, were incredibly moving and a great representation of the student body as a whole.

Here’s to another 20 years! MercedesLemp

LETTER fROm THE ExECUTIVE dIRECTOR

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

2www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

3SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org

4

Visit Our Website –www.languageetc.org

Amy F. BergerJennifer F. BrowningMary Janice Dicello

Charles DittrichJohanna Mendelson Forman

Susan HattanJoseph Khoury

Stephanie G. LawsonBonnie Loeb

Tamera LuzzattoThea Mason

Carlos MartinSylvia Miller

Diane L. MooneyKaren Yudelson Sandler,

ChairNatalie Wexler

Mercedes Lemp, Executive Director

EmERITUS BOARDPilar Laugel,

Founding Director Susanne K. Bennet

Ellen BennettFrances F. ButlerKarren DeSeve

Francis P. Dicello, Esq.Renee L. Feather

Mark FrenchKathleen Hendrix

Robert Kanchuger, Esq.Edward R. M. Kane

Alexia KelleyGerald Langan, Esq.

Phil Rizik

Transitions:LETC Board of Directors

W e are happy to welcome Joseph Khoury and Johanna Mendelson Forman to LETC’s Board of Directors. We

also wish the best to departing Director, Tamera Luzzatto.

Joseph is a Pre-Construction Manager at MCNBuild and has been involved in the construction management industry for more than fifteen years. He has served as a project manager on numerous projects involving non-profit organizations in the District including the Democratic National Committee’s Headquarters’ Building and the headquarters of the International Campaign for Tibet. In 2007, he joined MCN Build as the director of preconstruction. Joseph is a LEED Accredited Professional, and also volunteers with the USGBC National Chapter on the LEED for Schools committee.

Johanna Mendelson Forman is a senior associate with Americas Program at CSIS, where she works on renewable energy, the Americas, civil-military relations, and post-conflict reconstruction. She served as a director at the UN Foundation and has held senior positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bureau for

Humanitarian Response, and the Office of Transition Initiatives, as well as at the World Bank’s Post Conflict Unit. She also served as an adviser to the UN Mission in Haiti. She holds adjunct faculty appointments at American University and Georgetown University. Johanna is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the advisory boards of Women in International Security and the Latin American Security Network, RESDAL. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Tamera Luzzatto is the managing director of Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She ensures that Pew’s wide range of nonpartisan policy work at the state, federal, and international levels is effectively and accurate-ly communicated to policy makers. She served as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chief of staff in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2009. Prior to her service with Sena-tor Clinton, Ms. Luzzatto worked for West Virginia Senator John D. Rockefeller IV for nearly 15 years, serving as legis-lative director and chief of staff.

We thank Tamera for serving as a Director of Language ETC for the past three years. She has made an invaluable contribution to LETC with her wise counsel and her vast professional experience, and we wish her all the best in her many endeavors.

over $10,0000Amy Berger and Glen NagerNatalie Wexler and

James Feldman

$5,000 – $10,000 Jennifer and Vincent BrowningRose Gutfeld and Peter EdwardsSusan Hattan and Steven Kittrell Stephanie and Gene LawsonTamera Luzzatto and

David LeiterBonnie and Hamilton LoebEdward and Meghan QuinnElizabeth Wehrle and

Matt Miller

$2,000 – $4,999 Adrienne ArshtMorton and Grace BenderFran and Frank ButlerMary W. CarpenterMary Janice and Frank DicelloKindy FrenchLynn and Joseph HorningGeralyn and Martin LobelThea and Gary MasonSylvia and Nicholas MillerJack ReillyKaren and Joseph SandlerElizabeth Werner and

Carl Kravitz

$1,000 – $1,999 Susanne K. BennetEllen and Bob BennettDeborah E. BerkowitzJules Bernstein and Linda LipsettMelinda BieberPeter and Jenny BrodyDominique and Jonathan CahnMargaret and Mike CarvinKarren and Edward DeSeveCharles DittrichGeorge and Norma FabianRobert and Betsy FeinbergAnnette FranquiLucy HamachekRobert HamiltonRobin and Harvey HanerfeldMargaret and John HaugeMargaret HennesseyDr. and Mrs. LaSalle LeffallMaria Teresa MeyerSydney MillerIna MiltonDiane Mooney and

Frank PietrantonioSusan and Anthony QuaintonKathleen and Edward Quinn, Jr.Senator and

Mrs. John D Rockefeller, IVGilbert SandlerShrine of the Most

Blessed SacramentJoseph Sudbay and

Carlos MartinHarold and Jane YudelsonNancy and Harold Zirkin

$500 – $999 Marc Elliott AlbertKirby Behre and Jody CurtisHorton Beebe-Center and

Stephanie SlewkaVictoria Regina BurtonToni Clark and Richard BellMr. and Mrs. Bruce CohenLiz and Tim CullenCarlotta DicelloDeirdre E. DonahueNancy Donaldson and

Mark BohannonGus and Anne EdwardsAl Ferlo and Ellen AthasMarilyn and Willis GoldsmithDavid GoldstonBrent and Walter GooPeter D. HartMr. and Mrs. Peter HigginsMerilee Janssen and

David OldfieldSusan and Daniel JosephJan and Jean KalickiBob Kanchuger and

Margaret CotterMr. and Mrs. Edward KaneJoan KerriganRoland King and Judy PhairAna Claudia and Joseph KhouryGerald LanganSalo and Randi LevinasCarol and Eugene LudwigKaren and George MarcouRuth and Joseph McInerneyLawrence MerckerQuentin MeyerLaura QuinnPhil J. RizikRandi and Philip Rubovits-SeitzJocelyn Samuels and

Thomas OlsonMarcus SmallwoodMike and Mary Ann StantonFrances H. SymesPamela TomskiDiane and Robert WilburElizabeth and Kevin Wrege Daniel Yergin and Angela Stent

$200 – $499 AnonymousRobert N. AlfandreD. Philip BakerFernando BarruetaRobert Berish and

Barbara BrownBooz Allen HamiltonElaine and Richard BinderDiane and Keith BlizzardClara Elena Brillembourg and

George ChopivskyMaureen BudettiHeather and James ClessurasBrian and Lucy ConboyBarbara and Daniel CoxMoira and Thomas DawsonJohn Day and Judy MayMark Dembo and

Amanda LaForgeJennifer and Viet DinhIra Dosovitz and

Margaret SilverbergRobert and Debbie DrumhellerMary and Robert EcclesSusan ElmendorfShannon and

Richard Fairbanks

$200 – $499 continueddKristy and Ed FarleySusan and Michael FineAmy FinkelsteinSarah Flanagan and

Steven SelbyDr. and Mrs. Fleischer Johanna Mendelson Forman and

David FormanMargery and Dan FriedmanErin GormleyIrv Gornstein and

Susan LebeauxRuth B. GramlichPamela K. GreenMary Ellen and Michael GuerraMerna and Joseph GuttentagJudie Guy and Ed MikesellDebbie HardingOrin Heend and Susan PhilpMargaret and David HenslerFred HochbergLynn and Roger JasekEdgar James and

Katherine KinsellaGrif and Alix JohnsonDr. and Mrs. JonesPatrick JudgeSally KatzenSusan and Peter KeislerAlexia K. KelleyClaire KevillMartin and Arlene KlepperAmy and Ed KnightBarbara and Michael KrancerLarry Lawrence and Amy KotkinElena LazarJane and Ken LieberthalElizabeth S. LourieJohn D. MacomberCollette Magnant and

David MilzmanRichard and Elena MannDavid MauerJessica MayBetty and Herbert MartinDr. Jill McGovern and

Dr. Steven MullerDonna and Mack McLartyMichelle McNamaraJeanine and Donald MesserLeslie Miles and Jayson SchwamColin MillerDarrell and

Danielle MontgomeryBridget and Michael MorrisNeal Neuberger and

Mary Ella PayneElizabeth Nightingale and

Andrew HerrupBuck O’Leary and

Andrea HatfieldElly and Dan PerlDiane and Arnold PolingerBarbara Pryor and Brad GehrkePatricia ReillyKristin RoesserAndrew and Erin RossDiana RubinTulia Sanchez and Gene LesmezElizabeth SavageMartin Scherr and

Jeanne ConnellyTheresa SchlaflyPatrick L. SchmidtElizabeth and Lee SchoeneckerNaomi SeligmanNancy and Ira ShapiroStephen Shapiro

$200 – $499 continueddBetty ShirleyStephen SkubelTeresa SotoBarbara SteinBonnie and Robert TempleHarriet and Randy TritellPatricia and Edward VeronaJoanne VineSally von SummerMeredith and Peter WellingtonPhillip West and Barbara YellenKathryn Wilson and Steve MayPatrick WindhamNoah WofsyPenny and David Yao

up to $200 Asuncion AguilaTom Amis and Emily LawsonMr. and Mrs. Ricky Alpern-FischHedy and Brian BannonBarbara Bares and Marc EfronBarbara BargerElizabeth and Justin BauschMay BerkowitzKenneth and Sue Ann BerlinPatricia A. BorthwickDana and Mimi BresMary Brittingham and

David PlocherKen and Heidi BrotmanAndrea BrownPeter Bruns and Jennifer SheaHala and Stephen BuckKim BurnettThomas ButlerMartyn M. CaldwellNancy CarmichaelEllen Cassedy and Jeff BlumBrian ChamowitzNancy ChasenD’Vera CohnSue CohnJames ColeCaroline CroftFred CrouchCatherine CrumJames Denvir and

Rangeley WallaceJudson DolphinMary Douglas and James DickShay DvoretzkyCarol Emig and Michael DurstRob Enelow and Amy KossoffDavid and Lois EngelBarney and Patrice FeinsteinJane and James FitzgeraldTerrance and

Elizabeth FitzpatrickBarbara and Herb FranklinTom and Karin FreedmanAntonia Fondaras and

Joe GoffmanSteve and Renee GardnerEmily and Michael GarvinMary GawronskiTim and Megan GilesJed and Susan GoldartKen and Pat GoldingLincoln GrovesMegan GuentherThomas HallAnthony HarveyElizabeth and David HaselkornMr. and Mrs. James HoffmanKaren Hyun and

Michael Cummings

up to $200 continueddAnn IngramAndrew Joskow and Lisa SockettSherry KaimanAnn and Julius KaplanCheryl KariyaArthur Karlin and Beth BrophyDebra and Kenneth KarlinKathleen KearneyJoan KennedyGrace and Peter KimmAllison KirschJeanne KowalskiSonia LagosMr. and Mrs. Eugene LambertDarcy and Peter LangdonJane and Bob LeveyNoam Levey and Leslie PollnerJonathan LevinHershel Lipow and Susan SiegalManuel and Elia LopezCornelia LotzeJohn and Amanda LovelandMichael and Carolyn LynchDan and Maeva MarcusJoe and Carla MartinRobert Mazziotta and

Donna CassattaNancy and James McBrideFlori McClungCarrie and Andrew MonahanAnh NguyenPatricia NyhanJames and Michelle O’BrienMary K. O’MelvenyMargot and Richard PeetAgnes and Nap PietrykaJudy PrivenThomas QuigleyFlorence RaserBill and Susan ReinschBeverly and Daniel RezneckCarol and Eric RiceVirginia and Fabian RosadoLorraine Rose and Joel KaplanPhyllis RozmanCharlotte SabelSusan SaferDavid Schlitz and Stefania BerlaLester and Charlotte SchlitzDavid and Peggy ShiffrinFrancesca and Larry SlesingerRobert and Jennifer SpalloneSusan Spock and

Caldwell HarropKathryn StevensHarriett StonehillKathy and David StromJohn SukenikCatherine SunshineLeila TaaffeClaudia and James ThurberSeth and Lisa TuckerWilliam TrunkMelanne and Philip VerveerBrenda and Arthur ViereggPierre and Marie-Claire Wagner Valerie and Steven WayneDavid Wentworth and

Betsy BroderWilliam Wieand and

Betsy YounkinsJoseph and Lynda Zengerle

DONORSFALL ’12 –SPRINg ’13

THANK yOU TO THE fOLLOWING fOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

ANC 2dThe Acacia foundation

The morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz foundationClark Charitable foundation

The Corinna Higginson foundationThe dana foundation

John and Cora davis foundationdC Office of State Superintendent

of Educationdeloitte Consulting LLP

El TamarindoThe Hattie Strong foundationThe Herb Block foundation

The Barbara and Notz Hines foundationHoly Trinity Catholic Church

IdB-dC Solidarity Program of the Inter-American development Bank

The Jones day foundationThe Jovid foundation

The mayor’s Office on Latino AffairsEugene and Agnes E. meyer foundationOur Lady Queen of the Americas Church

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington dC

The Vilcek foundation

NEW BOARD

mEmBERS

Language ETC to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy 2013/2014f or the third time in its history, LETC is proud to announce that it has been

selected to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Over one hundred reviewers from foundations, corporations, corporate giving programs, giving circles, the philanthropic advisory community, and peer nonprofits evaluate hundreds of organizations for distinction, merit, and impact in order to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

The Catalogue represents some of the best smaller nonprofits in the Greater Washington region and Language ETC is proud to be included among them.

Enclosed is a donation of $: ________________

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

address: _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

in honor or memory of: ____________________________________________________________

Please notify: __________________________________________________________________________________

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

a small contribution goes a long way at Language ETC.donate through www.languageetc.org (Click on Network for Good on the home page) or use this form. Student tuition is only $120 for a three month term. Your contribution enables us to offer classes at these low prices and provide scholarships whenever needed.

Language ETC2200 California street, NW

Washington, DC 20008

ReflectionsAs we close our 20th year, we reflect on how much we have accomplished, while looking ahead to exciting opportunities on the horizon. Twenty years ago, Father Jose Somoza of Our Lady Queen of the Americas asked Pilar Laugel if she could teach English to some of the parishioners. Pilar accepted the priest’s offer and began recruiting students and teachers. The school clearly filled a need: the first Monday of classes over two hundred students showed up, many of whom had heard about the program at church the day before. Today, during every three-month term, over 750 students register for English, computer, citizenship and Spanish literacy classes.

While some things remain the same, many things have changed since the early days. There are now eleven levels of instruction, and since 2004 students have been able to take classes on weekday mornings as well as in the evenings and on weekends. With over 350 volunteers every year, we can offer tutoring as well as conversation and writing classes at no extra charge. Community service fairs are held on a regular basis to introduce students to a variety of social service providers, including free medical and dental clinics. And this year we started offering off-site classes at the DC Shaw Public Library, two apartment buildings in Columbia Heights and in Laurel, MD. We continue to increase the number of students we serve each term and each year. This year we will finish with total enrollments of over 2600!

While things change, expand and improve, the impact we have on our students is still what inspires all of our staff, volunteers and donors. As we made plans for our 20th Anniversary celebration we wanted to include presentations by a few students who could speak about how LETC had improved their lives. I quickly realized there was no shortage of amazing stories from students who were more than willing to present in front of a room full of people, to show how grateful they are to LETC and to their volunteer teachers. The three students who spoke, and are featured in the article about the gala, were incredibly moving and a great representation of the student body as a whole.

Here’s to another 20 years! MercedesLemp

LETTER fROm THE ExECUTIVE dIRECTOR

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

2www.languageetc.org SUmmER 2013

3SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org

4

Visit Our Website –www.languageetc.org

Amy F. BergerJennifer F. BrowningMary Janice Dicello

Charles DittrichJohanna Mendelson Forman

Susan HattanJoseph Khoury

Stephanie G. LawsonBonnie Loeb

Tamera LuzzattoThea Mason

Carlos MartinSylvia Miller

Diane L. MooneyKaren Yudelson Sandler,

ChairNatalie Wexler

Mercedes Lemp, Executive Director

EmERITUS BOARDPilar Laugel,

Founding Director Susanne K. Bennet

Ellen BennettFrances F. ButlerKarren DeSeve

Francis P. Dicello, Esq.Renee L. Feather

Mark FrenchKathleen Hendrix

Robert Kanchuger, Esq.Edward R. M. Kane

Alexia KelleyGerald Langan, Esq.

Phil Rizik

Transitions:LETC Board of Directors

W e are happy to welcome Joseph Khoury and Johanna Mendelson Forman to LETC’s Board of Directors. We

also wish the best to departing Director, Tamera Luzzatto.

Joseph is a Pre-Construction Manager at MCNBuild and has been involved in the construction management industry for more than fifteen years. He has served as a project manager on numerous projects involving non-profit organizations in the District including the Democratic National Committee’s Headquarters’ Building and the headquarters of the International Campaign for Tibet. In 2007, he joined MCN Build as the director of preconstruction. Joseph is a LEED Accredited Professional, and also volunteers with the USGBC National Chapter on the LEED for Schools committee.

Johanna Mendelson Forman is a senior associate with Americas Program at CSIS, where she works on renewable energy, the Americas, civil-military relations, and post-conflict reconstruction. She served as a director at the UN Foundation and has held senior positions at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bureau for

Humanitarian Response, and the Office of Transition Initiatives, as well as at the World Bank’s Post Conflict Unit. She also served as an adviser to the UN Mission in Haiti. She holds adjunct faculty appointments at American University and Georgetown University. Johanna is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the advisory boards of Women in International Security and the Latin American Security Network, RESDAL. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Tamera Luzzatto is the managing director of Government Relations at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She ensures that Pew’s wide range of nonpartisan policy work at the state, federal, and international levels is effectively and accurate-ly communicated to policy makers. She served as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s chief of staff in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2009. Prior to her service with Sena-tor Clinton, Ms. Luzzatto worked for West Virginia Senator John D. Rockefeller IV for nearly 15 years, serving as legis-lative director and chief of staff.

We thank Tamera for serving as a Director of Language ETC for the past three years. She has made an invaluable contribution to LETC with her wise counsel and her vast professional experience, and we wish her all the best in her many endeavors.

over $10,0000Amy Berger and Glen NagerNatalie Wexler and

James Feldman

$5,000 – $10,000 Jennifer and Vincent BrowningRose Gutfeld and Peter EdwardsSusan Hattan and Steven Kittrell Stephanie and Gene LawsonTamera Luzzatto and

David LeiterBonnie and Hamilton LoebEdward and Meghan QuinnElizabeth Wehrle and

Matt Miller

$2,000 – $4,999 Adrienne ArshtMorton and Grace BenderFran and Frank ButlerMary W. CarpenterMary Janice and Frank DicelloKindy FrenchLynn and Joseph HorningGeralyn and Martin LobelThea and Gary MasonSylvia and Nicholas MillerJack ReillyKaren and Joseph SandlerElizabeth Werner and

Carl Kravitz

$1,000 – $1,999 Susanne K. BennetEllen and Bob BennettDeborah E. BerkowitzJules Bernstein and Linda LipsettMelinda BieberPeter and Jenny BrodyDominique and Jonathan CahnMargaret and Mike CarvinKarren and Edward DeSeveCharles DittrichGeorge and Norma FabianRobert and Betsy FeinbergAnnette FranquiLucy HamachekRobert HamiltonRobin and Harvey HanerfeldMargaret and John HaugeMargaret HennesseyDr. and Mrs. LaSalle LeffallMaria Teresa MeyerSydney MillerIna MiltonDiane Mooney and

Frank PietrantonioSusan and Anthony QuaintonKathleen and Edward Quinn, Jr.Senator and

Mrs. John D Rockefeller, IVGilbert SandlerShrine of the Most

Blessed SacramentJoseph Sudbay and

Carlos MartinHarold and Jane YudelsonNancy and Harold Zirkin

$500 – $999 Marc Elliott AlbertKirby Behre and Jody CurtisHorton Beebe-Center and

Stephanie SlewkaVictoria Regina BurtonToni Clark and Richard BellMr. and Mrs. Bruce CohenLiz and Tim CullenCarlotta DicelloDeirdre E. DonahueNancy Donaldson and

Mark BohannonGus and Anne EdwardsAl Ferlo and Ellen AthasMarilyn and Willis GoldsmithDavid GoldstonBrent and Walter GooPeter D. HartMr. and Mrs. Peter HigginsMerilee Janssen and

David OldfieldSusan and Daniel JosephJan and Jean KalickiBob Kanchuger and

Margaret CotterMr. and Mrs. Edward KaneJoan KerriganRoland King and Judy PhairAna Claudia and Joseph KhouryGerald LanganSalo and Randi LevinasCarol and Eugene LudwigKaren and George MarcouRuth and Joseph McInerneyLawrence MerckerQuentin MeyerLaura QuinnPhil J. RizikRandi and Philip Rubovits-SeitzJocelyn Samuels and

Thomas OlsonMarcus SmallwoodMike and Mary Ann StantonFrances H. SymesPamela TomskiDiane and Robert WilburElizabeth and Kevin Wrege Daniel Yergin and Angela Stent

$200 – $499 AnonymousRobert N. AlfandreD. Philip BakerFernando BarruetaRobert Berish and

Barbara BrownBooz Allen HamiltonElaine and Richard BinderDiane and Keith BlizzardClara Elena Brillembourg and

George ChopivskyMaureen BudettiHeather and James ClessurasBrian and Lucy ConboyBarbara and Daniel CoxMoira and Thomas DawsonJohn Day and Judy MayMark Dembo and

Amanda LaForgeJennifer and Viet DinhIra Dosovitz and

Margaret SilverbergRobert and Debbie DrumhellerMary and Robert EcclesSusan ElmendorfShannon and

Richard Fairbanks

$200 – $499 continueddKristy and Ed FarleySusan and Michael FineAmy FinkelsteinSarah Flanagan and

Steven SelbyDr. and Mrs. Fleischer Johanna Mendelson Forman and

David FormanMargery and Dan FriedmanErin GormleyIrv Gornstein and

Susan LebeauxRuth B. GramlichPamela K. GreenMary Ellen and Michael GuerraMerna and Joseph GuttentagJudie Guy and Ed MikesellDebbie HardingOrin Heend and Susan PhilpMargaret and David HenslerFred HochbergLynn and Roger JasekEdgar James and

Katherine KinsellaGrif and Alix JohnsonDr. and Mrs. JonesPatrick JudgeSally KatzenSusan and Peter KeislerAlexia K. KelleyClaire KevillMartin and Arlene KlepperAmy and Ed KnightBarbara and Michael KrancerLarry Lawrence and Amy KotkinElena LazarJane and Ken LieberthalElizabeth S. LourieJohn D. MacomberCollette Magnant and

David MilzmanRichard and Elena MannDavid MauerJessica MayBetty and Herbert MartinDr. Jill McGovern and

Dr. Steven MullerDonna and Mack McLartyMichelle McNamaraJeanine and Donald MesserLeslie Miles and Jayson SchwamColin MillerDarrell and

Danielle MontgomeryBridget and Michael MorrisNeal Neuberger and

Mary Ella PayneElizabeth Nightingale and

Andrew HerrupBuck O’Leary and

Andrea HatfieldElly and Dan PerlDiane and Arnold PolingerBarbara Pryor and Brad GehrkePatricia ReillyKristin RoesserAndrew and Erin RossDiana RubinTulia Sanchez and Gene LesmezElizabeth SavageMartin Scherr and

Jeanne ConnellyTheresa SchlaflyPatrick L. SchmidtElizabeth and Lee SchoeneckerNaomi SeligmanNancy and Ira ShapiroStephen Shapiro

$200 – $499 continueddBetty ShirleyStephen SkubelTeresa SotoBarbara SteinBonnie and Robert TempleHarriet and Randy TritellPatricia and Edward VeronaJoanne VineSally von SummerMeredith and Peter WellingtonPhillip West and Barbara YellenKathryn Wilson and Steve MayPatrick WindhamNoah WofsyPenny and David Yao

up to $200 Asuncion AguilaTom Amis and Emily LawsonMr. and Mrs. Ricky Alpern-FischHedy and Brian BannonBarbara Bares and Marc EfronBarbara BargerElizabeth and Justin BauschMay BerkowitzKenneth and Sue Ann BerlinPatricia A. BorthwickDana and Mimi BresMary Brittingham and

David PlocherKen and Heidi BrotmanAndrea BrownPeter Bruns and Jennifer SheaHala and Stephen BuckKim BurnettThomas ButlerMartyn M. CaldwellNancy CarmichaelEllen Cassedy and Jeff BlumBrian ChamowitzNancy ChasenD’Vera CohnSue CohnJames ColeCaroline CroftFred CrouchCatherine CrumJames Denvir and

Rangeley WallaceJudson DolphinMary Douglas and James DickShay DvoretzkyCarol Emig and Michael DurstRob Enelow and Amy KossoffDavid and Lois EngelBarney and Patrice FeinsteinJane and James FitzgeraldTerrance and

Elizabeth FitzpatrickBarbara and Herb FranklinTom and Karin FreedmanAntonia Fondaras and

Joe GoffmanSteve and Renee GardnerEmily and Michael GarvinMary GawronskiTim and Megan GilesJed and Susan GoldartKen and Pat GoldingLincoln GrovesMegan GuentherThomas HallAnthony HarveyElizabeth and David HaselkornMr. and Mrs. James HoffmanKaren Hyun and

Michael Cummings

up to $200 continueddAnn IngramAndrew Joskow and Lisa SockettSherry KaimanAnn and Julius KaplanCheryl KariyaArthur Karlin and Beth BrophyDebra and Kenneth KarlinKathleen KearneyJoan KennedyGrace and Peter KimmAllison KirschJeanne KowalskiSonia LagosMr. and Mrs. Eugene LambertDarcy and Peter LangdonJane and Bob LeveyNoam Levey and Leslie PollnerJonathan LevinHershel Lipow and Susan SiegalManuel and Elia LopezCornelia LotzeJohn and Amanda LovelandMichael and Carolyn LynchDan and Maeva MarcusJoe and Carla MartinRobert Mazziotta and

Donna CassattaNancy and James McBrideFlori McClungCarrie and Andrew MonahanAnh NguyenPatricia NyhanJames and Michelle O’BrienMary K. O’MelvenyMargot and Richard PeetAgnes and Nap PietrykaJudy PrivenThomas QuigleyFlorence RaserBill and Susan ReinschBeverly and Daniel RezneckCarol and Eric RiceVirginia and Fabian RosadoLorraine Rose and Joel KaplanPhyllis RozmanCharlotte SabelSusan SaferDavid Schlitz and Stefania BerlaLester and Charlotte SchlitzDavid and Peggy ShiffrinFrancesca and Larry SlesingerRobert and Jennifer SpalloneSusan Spock and

Caldwell HarropKathryn StevensHarriett StonehillKathy and David StromJohn SukenikCatherine SunshineLeila TaaffeClaudia and James ThurberSeth and Lisa TuckerWilliam TrunkMelanne and Philip VerveerBrenda and Arthur ViereggPierre and Marie-Claire Wagner Valerie and Steven WayneDavid Wentworth and

Betsy BroderWilliam Wieand and

Betsy YounkinsJoseph and Lynda Zengerle

DONORSFALL ’12 –SPRINg ’13

THANK yOU TO THE fOLLOWING fOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT

ANC 2dThe Acacia foundation

The morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz foundationClark Charitable foundation

The Corinna Higginson foundationThe dana foundation

John and Cora davis foundationdC Office of State Superintendent

of Educationdeloitte Consulting LLP

El TamarindoThe Hattie Strong foundationThe Herb Block foundation

The Barbara and Notz Hines foundationHoly Trinity Catholic Church

IdB-dC Solidarity Program of the Inter-American development Bank

The Jones day foundationThe Jovid foundation

The mayor’s Office on Latino AffairsEugene and Agnes E. meyer foundationOur Lady Queen of the Americas Church

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington dC

The Vilcek foundation

NEW BOARD

mEmBERS

Language ETC to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy 2013/2014f or the third time in its history, LETC is proud to announce that it has been

selected to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Over one hundred reviewers from foundations, corporations, corporate giving programs, giving circles, the philanthropic advisory community, and peer nonprofits evaluate hundreds of organizations for distinction, merit, and impact in order to be featured in the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

The Catalogue represents some of the best smaller nonprofits in the Greater Washington region and Language ETC is proud to be included among them.

Enclosed is a donation of $: ________________

Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________

address: _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

in honor or memory of: ____________________________________________________________

Please notify: __________________________________________________________________________________

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

CONVERSATION CLUBS AT LANGUAGE ETC: CASUAL, COmfy, CREATIVE!

L anguage ETC’s 20th Anniversary celebra- tion held on May 6th was a huge success!

Our dedicated supporters, volunteers, stu-dents and staff gathered at the beautiful Jones Day rooftop party-room and deck overlook-ing the U.S. Capitol building to celebrate two decades of LETC accomplishments. The views and food were amazing but the highlights of the evening were the inspiring speakers.

Three of LETC’s students spoke about how LETC has impacted their lives. Reyna Duran-Baires, from Mexico, explained that taking classes at LETC enabled her to advance in her job at the Washington National Cathedral and gave her the confidence to volunteer to help with the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. She was very proud to be able to take part in this important event. Her presentation was so compelling that later in the evening she was offered a job at a bank by one of our guests!

Hongliu Wang, from China, mentioned that many of her fellow classmates found employ-ment as a result of what they learned in their Workplace Advanced English class, and that in her job teaching Chinese at American Uni-versity, she uses activities and other teach-ing tips that she has learned from her LETC teachers.

Jose Munoz-Martinez from Honduras recalled not being sure he could afford to take classes because he did not have a job. He was relieved to find out he could enroll in classes regard-less of his ability to pay the low tuition fee. He started in the Basic level and rose all the way through Advanced. He now supports his wife and young son by working for a non-profit that provides tutoring for Latino youth.

Pilar Laugel, LETC’s founder, gave a brief history of the organization and reminded us of how many lives we have touched. With more than 1,000 students enrolling each

Continued on page 5

Language ETC Celebrates 20 Years!

LETC student presenters: Reyna Duran-Baires, Hongliu Wang, Jose Munoz-Martinez

In ThIs IssuE...

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

SUmmER 2013

2200 CaLIfornIa sTrEET, nW 202-387-2222 WashIngTon, DC 20008-3902

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

With nearly 2000 students annually, LETC provides practical and affordable

English language education in a diverse and wel-coming environment. Our proven student-teacher partnership approach to education removes barriers, giving students the confidence to fully participate at home, work and in society. Our small classes with two teachers and extra-curricular activities empower students to become self-sufficient.

As a leading, nonprofit school and advocate for adult education in the Washington, DC region, our volun-teer teachers help our students achieve success. With 70% of our students improving at least one literacy level each year, we have greatly exceeded the national average of 40%.

Our organizational focus is the successful integration of each individual immigrant into his or her commu-nity. Students come from 75 different countries on five continents, bringing different backgrounds and life experiences.

Language ETC is open 6 days a week. HOURS: mONdAy & WEdNESdAy: 1:30 Pm – 8:00 Pm

TUESdAy & THURSdAy: 9:30 Am – 8:00 Pm

fRIdAy: CLOSEd

SATURdAy & SUNdAy: 9:00 Am – 4:00 Pm

ImPORTANT dATES: JULy 4: CLOSEd fOR INdEPENdENCE dAy

JULy 13: TEACHER TRAINING fOR SUmmER TERm

JULy 15: BEGINNING Of SUmmER TERm

AUGUST 25: ENd Of SUmmER TERm AUG 31 - SEPT 2: CLOSEd fOR LABOR dAy

SEPTEmBER 7: TEACHER TRAINING fOR fALL TERm

SEPTEmBER 16: BEGINNING Of fALL TERm

OCTOBER 14: CLOSEd fOR COLUmBUS dAy

for furThEr InformaTIon, CaLL LETC aT 202-387-2222.

SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org5

year, the number of people who have passed through LETC’s doors over the past 20 years is almost unimaginable.

LETC has evolved from a small church-based program to one of the largest DC area non-profit organizations providing English as a Second Language instruction to adult immigrants. In the past 20 years LETC has grown to offer eleven levels of English classes throughout the year.

Thank you to all of our supporters and friends who joined us in this milestone celebration. It was an evening we will always remember!

EXEC. DIRECTOR LETTERPage 2

PHILAN-THROPYPage 3

NEW STAFFPage 5

LETC’s DONORSPage 4

LETC SCHEDULE

Page 6

20 yEaRs of LETC ExECuTivE DiRECToRsJeanie Lee Boehmler, Pilar Laugel (LETC founder), Mercedes Lemp (LETC Executive Director), Carolyn Morrissey

By susan Joseph

T he opportunity to lead a one- hour conversation club at LETC

was alluring. Spontaneous conversa-tion was always my favorite part of the regular textbook-based classes. I used to devote the first part of each class, when students would straggle in, and the last part, when some might have to leave early, to open discussions of current events and ideas for exploring Washington, DC. I welcomed the opportunity to lead students in conversation for a

whole hour without knowing quite what that would demand.Language ETC offers conversation clubs for students at three levels: beginning, intermediate, and ad-vanced. Students currently enrolled in regular classes can attend on a drop-in basis, and the sessions are free. Over the last two terms my approach to leading the advanced conversa-tion club has changed. It’s become focused less on “teaching” and more on stimulating conversation.

In the past I had been presenting a newspaper article at the beginning of each class, such as Sally Quinn’s Washington Post article last January arguing in favor of big inauguration festivities. The class was then divid-ed into small groups to practice new vocabulary and idioms, with the goal of having the students teach their material to the class. This was too formal. Now I try to have four 15-minute activities: news (some-times led by volunteer Gabby Geier), presentation of a controversial topic,

Continued on page 5

NEW LETC

STAFFWelcome to new LETC staffSteven White and Lee Griffith, who served as LETC’s

volunteer coordinators for several years, left us this spring to pursue other opportunities. Both Steven and Lee were incredibly dedicated. They enthusiastically managed and supported hundreds of LETC volunteers and ensured they were prepared to teach their classes. We were sad to say goodbye to them but are fortunate to welcome new staff who we know will also do a fantastic job.

Alyssa Jacobsen is LETC’s new Weekday Volunteer Coordinator. Alyssa was a weekend volunteer teacher for over a year and was hired in a part-time support position before taking the full-time position of Volunteer Coordinator. Prior to joining LETC, Alyssa served as a Special Projects Coordinator at the Pentagon Memorial Fund and as an Events Coordinator and Registrant Manager at the C. S. Lewis Foundation. She speaks intermediate French and basic Hindi/Urdu, has a BA from Walla Walla University and a graduate certificate from American University in Cross Cultural Communications.

Denis-Illige-Saucier joined LETC last April as Manager of Weekend Programs and Partnerships. Denis served as a university English instructor and a teacher trainer while serving in the US Peace Corps at the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan from 2010 to 2012. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Denis held various writing jobs, was the Director of the Writing Center at the Odyssey School in Denver and was the Editor-in-Chief of The Evansville Review. He has an M.A. in English from the University of Denver.

We welcome back Clodoaldo Lopez as our new Office Manager. Clodoaldo returned to LETC in March after having served in a similar position at LETC from 2006 through 2009. He joins Claudia Belloso, in a newly created fulltime position that will help LETC better manage and track the hundreds of students that register each term. Clodoaldo has served in administrative roles at the National Hispanic Medical Association and at Generations United. He also served as a Partnership Development Intern at Partners of the Americas. He has a BA in Business Administration from the Universidad Americana, in Managua, Nicaragua.

Emily Naber is the newest addition to our staff. Also coming to us after first serving as a volunteer teacher, Emily is getting her master’s degree in TESOL and is serving as a program assistant, helping with teacher resources and classroom observations.

When you see these new faces around the school, please introduce yourself and say hello!

20YEARS!

Conversation Clubs Continued from Page 1

small groups to discuss the topic or apply it to their home culture, and then finally coming together for student presentations to the whole class.

What may the fu-ture hold for the conversation clubs? Ideas include making the clubs more social by introducing book groups, a student list-serv (which is working well in the regular Advanced Plus evening class), a Twitter account, or a blog. Excur-sion groups could move the conversation beyond the four walls of Language ETC. Any way you look at it, conversation groups help build the LETC community of teachers and students by expanding students’ famil-iarity with American culture generally and life in DC specifically. And as teachers, we benefit from learning more about our students in the comfortable and casual atmosphere of our new conversation clubs.

** Taken from the LETC teachers blog posted on June 7, 2013:susan Joseph started tutoring at Language ETC in the fall of 2010. she has since taught levels 1a and 2B, finally settling in advanced and advanced conversation as a member of the daytime teaching team.

20 Years! Continued from Page 1

CONVERSATION CLUBS AT LANGUAGE ETC: CASUAL, COmfy, CREATIVE!

L anguage ETC’s 20th Anniversary celebra- tion held on May 6th was a huge success!

Our dedicated supporters, volunteers, stu-dents and staff gathered at the beautiful Jones Day rooftop party-room and deck overlook-ing the U.S. Capitol building to celebrate two decades of LETC accomplishments. The views and food were amazing but the highlights of the evening were the inspiring speakers.

Three of LETC’s students spoke about how LETC has impacted their lives. Reyna Duran-Baires, from Mexico, explained that taking classes at LETC enabled her to advance in her job at the Washington National Cathedral and gave her the confidence to volunteer to help with the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. She was very proud to be able to take part in this important event. Her presentation was so compelling that later in the evening she was offered a job at a bank by one of our guests!

Hongliu Wang, from China, mentioned that many of her fellow classmates found employ-ment as a result of what they learned in their Workplace Advanced English class, and that in her job teaching Chinese at American Uni-versity, she uses activities and other teach-ing tips that she has learned from her LETC teachers.

Jose Munoz-Martinez from Honduras recalled not being sure he could afford to take classes because he did not have a job. He was relieved to find out he could enroll in classes regard-less of his ability to pay the low tuition fee. He started in the Basic level and rose all the way through Advanced. He now supports his wife and young son by working for a non-profit that provides tutoring for Latino youth.

Pilar Laugel, LETC’s founder, gave a brief history of the organization and reminded us of how many lives we have touched. With more than 1,000 students enrolling each

Continued on page 5

Language ETC Celebrates 20 Years!

LETC student presenters: Reyna Duran-Baires, Hongliu Wang, Jose Munoz-Martinez

In ThIs IssuE...

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

SUmmER 2013

2200 CaLIfornIa sTrEET, nW 202-387-2222 WashIngTon, DC 20008-3902

Improving the lives of immigrants through education.

With nearly 2000 students annually, LETC provides practical and affordable

English language education in a diverse and wel-coming environment. Our proven student-teacher partnership approach to education removes barriers, giving students the confidence to fully participate at home, work and in society. Our small classes with two teachers and extra-curricular activities empower students to become self-sufficient.

As a leading, nonprofit school and advocate for adult education in the Washington, DC region, our volun-teer teachers help our students achieve success. With 70% of our students improving at least one literacy level each year, we have greatly exceeded the national average of 40%.

Our organizational focus is the successful integration of each individual immigrant into his or her commu-nity. Students come from 75 different countries on five continents, bringing different backgrounds and life experiences.

Language ETC is open 6 days a week. HOURS: mONdAy & WEdNESdAy: 1:30 Pm – 8:00 Pm

TUESdAy & THURSdAy: 9:30 Am – 8:00 Pm

fRIdAy: CLOSEd

SATURdAy & SUNdAy: 9:00 Am – 4:00 Pm

ImPORTANT dATES: JULy 4: CLOSEd fOR INdEPENdENCE dAy

JULy 13: TEACHER TRAINING fOR SUmmER TERm

JULy 15: BEGINNING Of SUmmER TERm

AUGUST 25: ENd Of SUmmER TERm AUG 31 - SEPT 2: CLOSEd fOR LABOR dAy

SEPTEmBER 7: TEACHER TRAINING fOR fALL TERm

SEPTEmBER 16: BEGINNING Of fALL TERm

OCTOBER 14: CLOSEd fOR COLUmBUS dAy

for furThEr InformaTIon, CaLL LETC aT 202-387-2222.

SUmmER 2013 www.languageetc.org5

year, the number of people who have passed through LETC’s doors over the past 20 years is almost unimaginable.

LETC has evolved from a small church-based program to one of the largest DC area non-profit organizations providing English as a Second Language instruction to adult immigrants. In the past 20 years LETC has grown to offer eleven levels of English classes throughout the year.

Thank you to all of our supporters and friends who joined us in this milestone celebration. It was an evening we will always remember!

EXEC. DIRECTOR LETTERPage 2

PHILAN-THROPYPage 3

NEW STAFFPage 5

LETC’s DONORSPage 4

LETC SCHEDULE

Page 6

20 yEaRs of LETC ExECuTivE DiRECToRsJeanie Lee Boehmler, Pilar Laugel (LETC founder), Mercedes Lemp (LETC Executive Director), Carolyn Morrissey

By susan Joseph

T he opportunity to lead a one- hour conversation club at LETC

was alluring. Spontaneous conversa-tion was always my favorite part of the regular textbook-based classes. I used to devote the first part of each class, when students would straggle in, and the last part, when some might have to leave early, to open discussions of current events and ideas for exploring Washington, DC. I welcomed the opportunity to lead students in conversation for a

whole hour without knowing quite what that would demand.Language ETC offers conversation clubs for students at three levels: beginning, intermediate, and ad-vanced. Students currently enrolled in regular classes can attend on a drop-in basis, and the sessions are free. Over the last two terms my approach to leading the advanced conversa-tion club has changed. It’s become focused less on “teaching” and more on stimulating conversation.

In the past I had been presenting a newspaper article at the beginning of each class, such as Sally Quinn’s Washington Post article last January arguing in favor of big inauguration festivities. The class was then divid-ed into small groups to practice new vocabulary and idioms, with the goal of having the students teach their material to the class. This was too formal. Now I try to have four 15-minute activities: news (some-times led by volunteer Gabby Geier), presentation of a controversial topic,

Continued on page 5

NEW LETC

STAFFWelcome to new LETC staffSteven White and Lee Griffith, who served as LETC’s

volunteer coordinators for several years, left us this spring to pursue other opportunities. Both Steven and Lee were incredibly dedicated. They enthusiastically managed and supported hundreds of LETC volunteers and ensured they were prepared to teach their classes. We were sad to say goodbye to them but are fortunate to welcome new staff who we know will also do a fantastic job.

Alyssa Jacobsen is LETC’s new Weekday Volunteer Coordinator. Alyssa was a weekend volunteer teacher for over a year and was hired in a part-time support position before taking the full-time position of Volunteer Coordinator. Prior to joining LETC, Alyssa served as a Special Projects Coordinator at the Pentagon Memorial Fund and as an Events Coordinator and Registrant Manager at the C. S. Lewis Foundation. She speaks intermediate French and basic Hindi/Urdu, has a BA from Walla Walla University and a graduate certificate from American University in Cross Cultural Communications.

Denis-Illige-Saucier joined LETC last April as Manager of Weekend Programs and Partnerships. Denis served as a university English instructor and a teacher trainer while serving in the US Peace Corps at the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan from 2010 to 2012. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Denis held various writing jobs, was the Director of the Writing Center at the Odyssey School in Denver and was the Editor-in-Chief of The Evansville Review. He has an M.A. in English from the University of Denver.

We welcome back Clodoaldo Lopez as our new Office Manager. Clodoaldo returned to LETC in March after having served in a similar position at LETC from 2006 through 2009. He joins Claudia Belloso, in a newly created fulltime position that will help LETC better manage and track the hundreds of students that register each term. Clodoaldo has served in administrative roles at the National Hispanic Medical Association and at Generations United. He also served as a Partnership Development Intern at Partners of the Americas. He has a BA in Business Administration from the Universidad Americana, in Managua, Nicaragua.

Emily Naber is the newest addition to our staff. Also coming to us after first serving as a volunteer teacher, Emily is getting her master’s degree in TESOL and is serving as a program assistant, helping with teacher resources and classroom observations.

When you see these new faces around the school, please introduce yourself and say hello!

20YEARS!

Conversation Clubs Continued from Page 1

small groups to discuss the topic or apply it to their home culture, and then finally coming together for student presentations to the whole class.

What may the fu-ture hold for the conversation clubs? Ideas include making the clubs more social by introducing book groups, a student list-serv (which is working well in the regular Advanced Plus evening class), a Twitter account, or a blog. Excur-sion groups could move the conversation beyond the four walls of Language ETC. Any way you look at it, conversation groups help build the LETC community of teachers and students by expanding students’ famil-iarity with American culture generally and life in DC specifically. And as teachers, we benefit from learning more about our students in the comfortable and casual atmosphere of our new conversation clubs.

** Taken from the LETC teachers blog posted on June 7, 2013:susan Joseph started tutoring at Language ETC in the fall of 2010. she has since taught levels 1a and 2B, finally settling in advanced and advanced conversation as a member of the daytime teaching team.

20 Years! Continued from Page 1