One Big Table: An International Tasting - Celebrate with Literacy Pittsburgh!

Welcome back! As we enter into a new year, we invite you to join us for ONE BIG TABLE on April 3, 2025 at our new location, NOVA Place. As the date approaches, we are excited to have you be part of an unforgettable evening celebrating our community’s diversity and your achievements.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Delicious global cuisine features dishes from 20+ restaurants.
• Exciting live international entertainment.
• Inspiring stories that celebrate the power of literacy and education to transform lives.

Come together with us to celebrate the rich cultures of our community and invest in life-changing programs that empower students to succeed. For live updates on One Big Table, check out our website at  www.onebigtablepgh.org.

February Digital Skills Calendar

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a love of learning! We’re offering a variety of classes to help you beat the winter blues. Please check out our virtual classes and in-person offerings at Literacy Pittsburgh Downtown, PA CareerLink® Downtown, PA CareerLink^® Allegheny East, Andrew Carnegie Free Library in Carnegie, Human Services Center Mon Valley in Turtle Creek, and EARN Wilkinsburg. We’re also hosting Digital Skills Orientations to help new students get started with our classes.

New Location and Times! Open Lab Schedule (except as noted on calendar):

• Mondays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (Literacy Pittsburgh; EARN Wilkinsburg)
• Tuesdays: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Literacy Pittsburgh)
• Wednesdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (PA CareerLink^® Allegheny East)
• Wednesdays: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (PA CareerLink^® Downtown)
• Thursdays: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Literacy Pittsburgh)

We hope we have some classes that interest you! As always, please email us at DigitalPGH@LiteracyPittsburgh.org and please specify which class(es) and dates you are interested in.

Finally, don’t forget our calendars are also available at www.LPStudent.com/calendar.

Please note: There will be no digital skills classes or Open Labs on Monday, February 17. 

Happy Valentine’s Day on February 14!

Service Coordination Events

Service Coordination Office Hours 
📍Monday, February 3 & Tuesday, February 4, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center OR Online on Zoom

Do you need help preparing for the tax season? We will help students make appointments to Just Harvest at the Downtown Center and virtually. If you would like to attend virtually, please sign up here. The Zoom link will be emailed to you on the morning of the event. 

English Listening: What to Do in March in Pittsburgh
📍Friday, February 28, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online on Zoom                                                                                                       
Are you waiting for an English class and want to practice listening to English? You will hear Literacy Pittsburgh service coordinators talk about Pittsburgh and different events happening in the area during the month of March. If you would like to attend this waitlist event, please sign up here, and the Zoom link will be emailed to you on the morning of the event. 

Student and Career Services Classes and Workshops

Upcoming Workshops and Events

NEW! - Urgent Job Seeker Crash Course
📍Tuesdays at 2:30 – 4:00 pm
Online on Zoom

Career Services AmeriCorps member, Israel Centeno, has been putting his expertise to the test in developing a new workshop series designed to help students find their job survival skills. The series will have a weekly cadence of 4 workshops:

• Tuesday, February 4 at 2:30 pm: Job Search Basics (how to search and apply for jobs, introducing local and national job boards for the fastest application submission rate
• Tuesday, February 11 at 2:30 pm: Job Search Toolbox pt. 1 (Resume and Cover Letter—basics, when you need them and where you can get help)
• Tuesday, February 18 at 2:30 pm: Job Search Toolbox pt. 2 (Interview and Network advice); and Surviving your Job Search (stress management, mindfulness, realistic expectations
• Tuesday, February 25 at 2:30 pm: Job Search Mindset (Agency resources to help students manage the stress of un-, under-, or unsatisfying employment.)

Interested? Register Here. Questions? Email icenteno@literacypittsburgh.org. 

Upwardly Global Information Session/Open Lab 
📍Monday, February 3, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 
Online on Zoom

Upward Global is an online education tool that can help you learn about different careers and how to prepare for them. Join Career Services on Zoom to learn more about the resource and sign up for an account.
Interested? Register here. 
*Note: This resource is recommended for intermediate or advanced non-native English speakers. Please contact dpelter@literacypittsburgh.org with any questions.

Healthcare Industry Workshop
📍Tuesday, February 11, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center

Career Services is hosting a Healthcare Industry Workshop that will help students enhance their skills in writing resumes, cover letters, networking, communicating and interviewing in the healthcare field. 

American Job Skills Foundations (Certificate Workshop Series) 
📍Fourth Friday of every month, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Online on Zoom

New! Workshop Series from JFCS Career Development Center. This is a three-part series that will give you the right foundation to start your job search in the American Workplace. Join only one, or attend all of them to earn a Literacy Pittsburgh certificate for the course. This month's offering: 

February 28: American Workforce Culture: Gain the skills to navigate social and professional interactions in the workplace.  

Interested? Register Here! Questions? Email cangelo@literacypittsburgh.org. 

Career Workshops for Waitlist Students!     
📍 Wednesdays from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm   
Online on Zoom

This is a series of 3 workshops available to all students – even before you start classes. These workshops are designed to get you started thinking about your goals, and to ease you into learning with us. This month's workshops are:   

• Wednesday, February 5,1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Career Exploration (Interest Surveys)    
• Wednesday, February 12, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Resume Basics    
• Wednesday. February 19, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: What is Career Services?   

Classes are open to all Literacy Pittsburgh Students but will prioritize waitlist students. Interested? Register here.

CCAC Information Session
📍Thursday, March 20, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Online on Zoom

Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) will join Literacy Pittsburgh to present information about programs, financial aid, and their application process. Event is open to all current and former Literacy Pittsburgh students. Interested? Register here.

Open Lab 
📍Tuesdays from 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center 

Literacy Pittsburgh Career Advisors and Digital Skills staff have collaborated to offer a space for interested students to study their Upwardly Global lessons. Use on-site computers, and get assistance with any technical or instructional barriers with this weekly practice space. Questions? Email Dru at dpelter@literacypittsburgh.org. 

Resume Office Hours 
📍Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am – 11:00 am 
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center  

Not sure what to put on your resume? Need help with formatting and organizing? Join Career Services for Resume Office Hours to receive feedback and get help with all your resume questions. Sessions will occur on a walk-in basis – no need to schedule in advance. Questions or concerns? Email Anna at agartland@literacypittsburgh.org  

Free Tax Return Preparation

Tax season runs from January 22 to April 18. You may qualify for free tax preparation assistance if your family’s income was less than $60,000 in 2023.

How to get free tax help
Please select from the following options for filing your 2024 taxes:

•  Just Harvest’s tax preparation sites are open from January 22 – April 15  
  -To schedule an appointment, visit pa211.org/VITA 
  -¿Necesitas ayuda en español? ¡Haga click aquí!                                      
• United Way provides MyFreeTaxes in partnership with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to help filers prepare their tax returns on their own or have their return prepared for them for free, call 

  866-698-9435 or visit https://myfreetaxes.com/

• North Hills Community Outreach (NHCO): individuals can make an appointment at NHCO North Borough, NHCO Millvale Tax sites, or any of their tax clinics. Appointments are required and must be made through 2-1-1.

Student Spark Award Recognition 

Congratulations to our Student Spark Award winners for October through December. We are proud of you!

Alla - Working hard to learn English (nominated by Alexis Ferreri)
Asad - Hard work and leadership (nominated by Shirley Rykaceski)
Camille - Getting a driver's license; Helping a colleague at work (nominated by Julie Shepard)
Farida - Improvement in speaking; Excellent attendance; Diligence with studies (nominated by Joanne Wright)
Inna - Commitment to improving her English language proficiency and improving her listening and speaking skills (nominated by Jessica Pflueger)
Ji - Getting a new job (nominated by James Hagerty)
Joella - Passing multiple GED exam sections (nominated by Lisa Morse)
Rachelle - Becoming a U.S. citizen; Receiving a job promotion (nominated by Stephen Morse)
Sakumi - Greatly improving her English and bravely using it to create a life for herself in Pittsburgh (nominated by Meryl Lazar)
Shelly - Mastering a difficult lesson (nominated by Rachel Hyeon)
Simone - Starting a business (nominated by Maressa Cochran)
Snober - Passing a GED test (nominated by Heidi Stark)
Sylvie - Feeling confident talking to doctor; Mastering a difficult lesson; Dealing with a landlord (nominated by AJ Frena)
Tari - Passing three parts of the GED; Self-motivated and hard worker. (nominated by Debbie Howells)
Ven - Wonderful attendance in class; Working hard to master content (nominated by Tina Burns)
Volodymyr - Being recognized at work; Original novel being adapted into a play (nominated by Amanda Kmetz)
Zuhra - Persistence and hard work in learning English (nominated by Tatiana Bykova)

Student Success Stories

Congratulations to the following students!

When Zainab started in Teacher Shirley’s advanced class, she was very shy about speaking and reading in English. Over time, her speaking, reading, and writing skills in English improved. Now she has built confidence and she always volunteers to read and answer questions in class when she has the opportunity. 

Teacher Shirley said, “I am very proud and happy to see the improvement and progress Zainab has made in English class. It has been a wonderful experience to see her hard work pay off. She went from being a very shy student in class to a very confident student who is always willing and ready to participate in class.”

Zainab came to Literacy Pittsburgh to learn and improve her English skills. She would like to one day be able to get a part-time job to help her husband with their finances.

Asad is a hard worker in Teacher Shirley’s class. He is always willing to participate in his English Civics class. Furthermore, he is very supportive of his classmates. He has been a tremendous help with translating for other students.

Teacher Shirley said, “Thank you so much, Asad, for all the support you've given to other students by translating for them in and outside of class. Additionally, keep up the good and hard work you've been putting into class!”

In addition to wanting to become a U.S. citizen, Asad would like to improve his English and computer skills.  

In addition to his wife, Lisa, Vladmir’s English civics teacher, Tina, was present to cheer for him. We congratulate Vladimir on this achievement. “He was a great student in class,” notes his teacher Tina Burns. “He also started his own business as an electrician.” His contributions to our community will continue to be important. He and the other new citizens remind us that the United States is a land of immigrants!

Share your success story with us! You can help inspire others who are overcoming barriers and working toward their goals. Email it to Najlaa at nebrahim@literacypittsburgh.org

"The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice."
— Brian Herbert

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." 
 — Milton Berle