Our Connected Stories
Coming from a small school in the suburbs to the large campus of Penn State, one of the biggest changes I experienced was interacting with people from diverse backgrounds each day.
Pandemic Blessings (Perfections, Bundles of Joy, Bright Moments, Moments of Joy…)
How does one cope and stay Joyful amidst a difficult time of isolation, quarantine, separation, worries of job loss, teaching your children at home while virtually navigating through too many Zoom meetings and not having enough band width?
Grandparent Initiative at Mid-State Literacy Council
What do Paul P. Harris (Rotary founder), Amy (grandparent), Phoebe (PSU tutor), a deviled egg sandwich (lunch provided for tutor), Chrome Books, and Bellefonte all have in common?
“Why do people volunteer at the MSLC?”
When I first started working at the Mid-State Literacy Council in September 2019, I was curious about how this breadth of offerings could be accomplished year after year with a staff of only two full-time and a few part-time employees.
An Interview with Lijun
As a student at Penn State University and member of the State College community, I had the unique opportunity to interview a Mid-State Literacy Council student and hear first-hand about the lasting effects of the tutoring and coursework.
Lina Chung: From Student to Instructor
This week we are highlighting a special ‘graduate’ from Mid-State who is now giving her time to help others.
Our Brains Are Amazing: Part 1
In 2020, we are starting a new series for our blog about the smart technology that all of us own – our brains. We kick off with an article about the benefits of knowing a second language. Stay tuned for more in the year ahead…
Welcoming the New Year With a Look Back at 2019
What were the highlights of your 2019? For some of our students, they included finding a job, getting a driver's license, and taking the next step towards earning a higher degree.
Thank you for a Great Bookfair!
This year’s bookfair at Barnes & Noble on Saturday, November 23 was our most successful ever, thanks to you! It was a day of stories, crafts, poetry, and more.
Language Barriers in the Delivery Room
Each year more immigrants enter into the United States. In 2017, 44,525,855 immigrants resided in the United States.
Future doctor sees need for health literacy
I started volunteering at Mid-State Literacy Council because I have experienced what it is like to be on the other end of not having acquired the necessary skill to communicate effectively in a different country.
The Dream Test for Every Parent and Reading Teacher
A content young man is listening to his favorite movie. He is also listening to a repetitive sound that will be a marker to see how his brain works. A research team at Northwestern, headed by Neurobiologist Nina Kraus, has found a biomarker to predict reading success. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well listen to the research and you may be convinced.