Based in Garden City, (308 E. 36th Street.) Learning Lab is changing the lives of both its students and its volunteers. A literacy education center for adults and families with young children, Learning Lab offers classes based on students’ individual needs in reading, writing, math, and English language learning. Preparation for GED and citizenship exams is also offered. It started with a small volunteer effort in 1991 at the Boise Public Library when Junior League of Boise members, concerned about future job needs, began helping adults with reading and writing. Today, it is an independent non-profit that offers free, personalized education for all ages, focusing on adult literacy.
Many of the Learning Lab’s 300+ volunteer tutors have stayed with the organization for more than a decade, some since its beginning. Serving close to 500 students, the staff is led by Kristin Livingstone, Executive Director, overseeing programs that help students with reading and writing skills. Other key staff includes Jenni Storti, Development Director; Cassie Goyden, Business Manager; and Jennifer Panitch, Director of Programs
Many of the volunteers find inspiration while helping students who are often in crisis and struggling, whether they’re native-born residents whose schooling was interrupted, new immigrants or immigrants who have been in the U.S. for years and are just now learning English.
Soeurette Chambreau’s love for reading inspired her to volunteer. “Learning Lab is a friendly, nurturing and safe place...to learn. During my tenure as a tutor I have worked with students just beginning to learn English, GED students, citizenship students, and preschoolers learning their letters.”
At the annual fundraising event, attendees hear stories about the students, their hard work and humility. Students include a Ukrainian dentist who works as a housekeeper and an Afghani chemistry teacher who stocks shelves at Walmart. The students at the Learning Lab are often seeking a fresh start and are willing to start at the bottom. Attendees also hear stories about how Learning Lab volunteers often feel connected to the larger world by tutoring and making a difference.
The Lunch for Literacy will take place on Friday, February 20, at the Boise Centre on the Grove at 11 am. New York Times bestselling author and journalist Kim Cross will be the keynote speaker. An Idaho resident, Cross is currently Boise’s Writer in Residence. Her most recent book, In Light of All Darkness, was a finalist for the Edgar Award and winner of the Truman Capote Prize for Distinguished Work of Literary Non-fiction.
Tickets for the Lunch for Literacy as well as information about the silent auction are available at https://Literacy26.givesmart.com. Book baskets like the one pictured with the award winning picture book, The Horse Who Wanted to Fly, are welcome as are other items like travel, art, entertainment experiences, and services including career coaching.
Learning Lab welcomes donations as well as volunteers interested in tutoring or filling in for tutors. The organization also offers occasional opportunities for groups and corporations to volunteer in general facility enhancement projects. Contact the Learning Lab online at www.learninglabinc.org or call 208-344-1335.