The Strength of Community

The Strength of Community

by Jennifer Barnett Fox. Latino ESL Level 3 volunteer

I learned about volunteering at Mission Adelante through a newsletter from the Church of the Resurrection. I had previously volunteered in Lincoln, Nebraska with Lincoln Literacy during college and later at Kansas City Literacy.

Jennifer on the right, working with Rocio and Alberta.

After a number of years away, it was time to start ESL/Literacy volunteering again. I began in June 2021 during the summer session and absolutely loved it. It didn’t hurt that I had a great student (Maria) who made the time more special than a typical volunteer session. 

I think this feeling of connection is one of many things that makes ESL at Mission Adelante effective. The approach of community building is different from what I’ve experienced before, but I think it’s what makes the program so strong. 

In Level 1 and then moving on to team-teach in Level 2 this fall, I saw amazing things happen as both the teachers and students came together in community. It was incredible to see the light bulbs come on for all of us. 

For the teachers, it was all about figuring out how to teach cohesively while finding the right messages to make the learnings more understandable. Among the students, it was having a forum to freely ask questions and make the necessary mistakes to become more confident in their skills. It’s also a bonus that I get to improve my Spanish skills, as roles are switched, and I play the student.

I am so grateful to be a part of this group. This is so much more than a volunteer experience. It’s a learning community where friends and family come together. Moving to Level 3, I’m looking forward to seeing familiar faces and experiencing progress through the strength of community.