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Share Your Story

Everyone Has a Story to Tell — What's Yours?

We are looking for the real-life stories of our tutors and adult students. These stories can help us spread the message about the importance of literacy and the value of volunteer tutoring. Consider dictating, sharing or writing your or your student's story as part of a literacy lesson. Here are some steps to follow.

1. Brainstorm Ideas for the Story

Here are some topics to get you started in recording your or your student's important story:

• Tell us why you became a volunteer and how it affects your life.
• Tell us what it's like to be a literacy tutor – what has been surprising, frustrating, and gratifying about it.
• Have students tell us how not having literacy skills has caused problems in their lives.
• Have students tell us what motivated them to seek help with their reading. writing, math, or speaking skills.
• Have you or your student tell us who inspires you and why.

2. Create an Outline or Written Script of the Story

You can skip this step if you're stumped or if you prefer a multimedia format. See Step 3 below.

• Write down the highlights of the story or write a first draft of the whole thing.
• Take a second look (with your student, if applicable) and make any revisions or improvements that seem needed.

3. Choose a Format and Contact DCLC

• Digital Story:
  Let the DCLC video team help you use photos, mementos, and your own voice to record a computer video collage of your story. To take part in a Digital Story Workshop, contact Susan at 610.876.4811 or volunteers@delcoliteracy.org.
• Written or Videotaped Interview:
  Schedule an "oral history" interview with the DCLC video team. A volunteer will come and interview you and/or your student and then edit and/or write up the results. You are the "star" without ever writing a word! Contact Susan at 610.876.4811 or volunteers@delcoliteracy.org.
• Written Story:
  Type or hand-write the story and mail it to DCLC, 2217 Providence Avenue, Chester PA 19013 or e-mail it to volunteers@delcoliteracy.org.

Read some current stories in Student Showcase and Volunteers Stories to get inspired. Contact Susan at 610.876.4811 or volunteers@delcoliteracy.org for more information or assistance.