April is National Volunteer Month and the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC) is celebrating its 173 volunteer tutors.
The ATC Board and staff are grateful for the incredible commitment tutors make to students and the dedication exhibited every week to meet with the student, manage virtual tutoring, troubleshoot roadblocks, and celebrate progress.
 
Being an ATC volunteer tutor means you have participated in ATC’s curriculum training and have become familiar with the child’s weekly lesson plan written by ATC’s professional staff. It also means you are creative, patient, kind, and willing to adapt, and most likely you have a very good sense of humor.
 
Some fun statistics about this year’s tutors:
★ 12 tutors are serving more than one student
★ 7 tutors have been with ATC for at least 10 years
★ 9 tutors are students; 4 in high school and 5 in college or graduate school
★ 4 are married tutor pairs (that we’re aware; they may be more!) 
Julie Duke is ATC’s longest-serving tutor, now in her 21st year! Julie tutored at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School until 2015 when she moved to Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy. She is also a former ATC Board member, having served as secretary from 2004 – 2006.
 
“I’ve seen ATC evolve over the years,” Julie says. “At first, there was a little alcove with some books in it and tutors would help kids read them, with no formal instruction. I was on the board that decided to adopt the Book Buddies curriculum, which was implemented and then refined over time. With COVID, ATC has evolved again, and I think that right now, it’s perfect.”
 
“I love the Book Buddies program, how supported tutors are by the coordinators and how the entire program provides intervention in sync with what the child can do. I also think the virtual tutoring format in which I receive the lesson plan in advance lets me be well prepared. I have really loved ATC, and stand by it with both my time and money.”
 
Thank you, Julie, for your unwavering commitment to ATC. And thank you to all our tutors who help a child learn to read. ATC SALUTES YOU!  
ATC welcomes three new members to the Board of Directors: Chris Preston, Trey Kirby, and Oscar Castro.
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As Vice President of Corporate Relations at United Way Worldwide, Chris Preston is deeply committed to building strong communities. He attended George Mason University. later serving as President of the University's Alumni Association. He looks forward to making a difference for Alexandria's children, and ATC will benefit from his superlative development and fundraising skills.
Trey Kirby lives in Alexandria with his wife and two children, one of whom is a Maury first grader, which gives him excellent insight into the challenges of keeping students on task in a virtual setting. He is Vice President and Partner at Fairfield Residential and brings his vast experience in strategy and operations guidance to ATC's board.
A long-time Alexandria volunteer and father of a TC Williams graduate and a current 9th grader, Oscar Castro brings sharp financial know-how to ATC. He currently works as an accountant at the Internal Revenue Service and has served on financial and audit committees for his church, the PTA and the Alexandria Crew Boosters.
ATC to participate in Spring2ACTion!
Please support ATC in the upcoming annual fundraiser, Spring2Action, sponsored by Alexandria’s community foundation, ACT for Alexandria.

This year, the online event is April 28. Early giving opens April 14.  Information on how to make a Spring2ACTion donation to ATC is coming your way soon. Our goal is to raise $40,000, which will help us repeat our successful summer program (offered for the first time last year) and help launch tutoring in the fall. Keep an eye out for donor “match” opportunities and updates!
Looking for a fun way to support literacy while scooping up some awesome auction items? The Pi Beta Phi Literacy Ball online Auction benefiting ATC and others is April 10 – 18. Register here to participate and learn more. Auction items include beach escapes, a round of golf, wine tasting & more. Thank you, Arrow Foundation of the Northern Virginia Alumnae Club of Pi Beta Phi, for choosing ATC as a beneficiary of your literacy event.
Questions? Contact Lisa Jacobs at ljacobs@alexandriatutors.org
323 S. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-549-6670 x119
Fax: 703-549-9425
Email: atc@opmh.org



Lisa Jacobs, Executive Director