First Literacy

Learn how to develop stronger and more effective relationships with the adult learners in your classroom through Motivational Interviewing (MI). Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based, person-centered method for fostering change and growth and is applicable across a broad range of helping professions. First Literacy professional development workshops are FREE for Adult Basic Education and ESOL teachers and program administrators across Massachusetts. Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/sgIjcAi

A HUGE thank you to State Street for sponsoring the 35th Annual Spelling Bee! State Street has been a sponsor of the Bee for over 10 years and will once again host the 2025 event at their corporate facility in Boston. We are grateful for the support and generosity of State Street over the years. #supportadultliteracy #BeeCauseLiteracy

Every year Deloitte hosts a Mini Bee for employees to determine who will represent Deloitte at the First Literacy Spelling Bee. Congrats to the winners of the Deloitte Mini Bee: Aaron Cohen, Julia Rather, and Sofia Maher! We look forward to watching you compete at the Bee on April 3. #BeeCauseLiteracy #adultliteracy

Thinking about applying for a grant? First Literacy Grants support Adult Basic Education organizations in the development and trial of innovative education programs through grant funding and hands-on technical support. Grants of up to $15,000 are available! Learn more about First Literacy Grants and the application process at an upcoming information session. We strongly encourage the project leader for a proposal to attend one session. Grant writers and administrators are also welcome. Please review the RFP, application, and FAQs before attending. Info sessions will be held online via Zoom. For more information visit https://buff.ly/nd0kjhf

Yesterday Cabot Corporation held a Mini Spelling Bee. Congratulations to the winners of the Mini Bee ... Birgitta Dickerson, Mazda Cintron, Adam Gold! We look forward to watching you compete in the 35th Annual First Literacy Spelling Bee on April 3. #BeeCauseLiteracy

Don't miss the fun! Commit to sponsoring and forming a Bee team by Wednesday, March 12 and your team will be guaranteed a spot in the first round of pre-recorded play. Teams that commit after March 12 will have a chance to participate in the live lightning round on April 3, but will miss the first round of competitive play. Anyone who would like to form a spelling team can do so. A minimum tax-deductible sponsorship of $5,000 funds a team of three. Proceeds from the event support adult literacy. The First Literacy 35th Annual Spelling Bee will be held at the State Street Channel Center in Boston! Check out our website to see see the buzz behind round 1! We hope you will join us for the fun. https://buff.ly/3NDGQyO #supportadultliteracy #BeeCauseLiteracy

First Literacy grants serve as a vital link, allowing organizations like FRIENDS OF THE RAFAEL HERNANDEZ SCHOOL INC to provide quality education and support to underserved communities in Massachusetts. ESL for Educational Settings: Curriculum Design and Implementation, proudly supported by First Literacy, is a cornerstone of the Primeras Maestras Program, which trains low-income Spanish-speaking parents from the Hernández School and other Boston Public Schools to become dual language educators. The program has been a huge success yielding significant results. With two years of funding from First Literacy and support from the City of Boston, the program has evolved into a structured and impactful initiative. Learn more here: https://buff.ly/3EVtOLq #grantfunding

Join us in welcoming Jenna Kline, MBA as a new member of the First Literacy Board. Jenna is a Senior Manager at?T. Rowe Price and has been actively involved with First Literacy in various capacities for over six years. “I am excited to be serving on the Board of First Literacy because it is an organization I believe in and have been part of in varying roles for over six years. I’m looking forward to contributing meaningfully to the strategic direction and impacting adult literacy.” - Jenna

A big shout out to Morgan Stanley - a lead sponsor of the 35th Annual First Literacy Spelling Bee. We appreciate your generosity and ongoing support over the years. Last year was a tough loss for the Morgan Stanley team... we look forward to watching the team compete this year! #BeeCauseLiteracy #SupportAdultLiteracy

Join us for a unique workshop where participants will learn how the Smithsonian Education free, online Talk with Me Toolkits can be used in family literacy and adult education programs. The Toolkits allow access to world-renowned artifacts from the Smithsonian’s digital collection and provide adults with ideas and questions to start conversations and interact with their children. This two-part workshop will take place on March 14 and March 21. First Literacy professional development workshops are FREE for Adult Basic Education and ESOL teachers and program administrators across Massachusetts. #familyliteracy https://buff.ly/3sg3uVP