About Us

Our Mission

It is the mission of Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard to help improve the reading, writing, and spelling abilities of low-income students who struggle with literacy skills. The project trains and supports volunteer tutors who provide free, long-term, 1:1 instruction using the Orton-Gillingham approach and Wilson Reading System® materials.

Who We Serve

We serve students in grades 1-12 who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch and are struggling with literacy skills. Participants are referred to the program by family members, guardians, teachers, counselors, or learning disability specialists.

The two eligibility requirements to receive an Augustine tutor are:

The student qualifies for free or reduced-cost lunch.
The student is scoring below grade level performance in reading, writing, or spelling.

Augustine Literacy Project is partnered with all the elementary schools in Transylvania County (Rosman Elementary, Brevard Elementary, TC Henderson Elementary, Pisgah Forest Elementary, and Brevard Academy).

0%

of juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate.

0%

of students eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch are not reading at a proficient level.

0%

of poor readers can improve their reading skills with early, intensive, one-to-one instruction.

Our History

The Augustine Literacy Project was founded in 1994 by Holy Family Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was founded to meet the needs of low-income children in the community who required the services of a professional tutor, but were unable to afford one. It has grown to include twelve chapters that are reaching out to meet the same needs in their communities. Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard is the twelfth chapter of the Augustine Literacy Project chartered in 2012. Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard is a 501(c)(3) organization and an official replication of the Augustine Project based at Holy Family Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill.

The combination of nurture and knowledge that an Augustine tutor offers can mean the difference between prison and productivity for an at-risk student.

Because reading, writing, and spelling difficulties can result in poor school performance and low self-esteem, families who are financially able send their children with language-related learning differences to special schools or hire private tutors. Most professional reading tutors charge from $40 to $65 an hour. Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard is committed to providing caring, professionally trained tutors for students whose families cannot afford to pay.

Our Board

Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard is led by a team of devoted individuals who volunteer their time, expertise, and resources to ensure that high-risk students in Transylvania County have the best opportunities to become successful readers.

Wendi Adair

Executive Director | since 2012

My journey with teaching students who struggle with reading started when I began homeschooling my two children with dyslexia. To best assist them, I received specialized training in the Orton-Gillingham approach of literacy instruction, which is a researched-based methodology proven to work with individuals who struggle with literacy. As an Orton-Gillingham reading practitioner, I was able to help other struggling readers unlock their reading potential. However, most parents in our community whose children struggle with literacy cannot afford a private Orton-Gillingham tutor at $40-$65 an hour. That’s when I learned about the Augustine Literacy Project, which trains volunteers in the same effective instructional methods and provides private tutoring for eligible students at their schools for FREE! As the Director of ALP-Brevard, I will continue to train and support volunteer tutors to reach as many qualifying students in our community as possible who will provide the most effective, interventive literacy instruction available.

Dolores Brown

Vice-Chair | Board Member since 2019.

I had been an elementary school teacher for thirty-three years. Most of my career was in Massachusetts. I moved to North Carolina ten years ago and taught in Sanford and in Brevard. After retiring, I missed working with students mightily and discovered volunteer opportunities with Rise and Shine and the Augustine Literacy Project. I love being able to work one on one with students! It’s truly a gift to be able to build relationships while building reading skills. I am grateful for each of my students and appreciate the commitment they show to become better readers.

Kathryn Polmanteer

Board Chair | Board Member since 2018

I became an Augustine Literacy Tutor in the fall of 2016. My background is in speech-language pathology and I have always been interested in how children’s speech and language development and their understanding of phonological awareness impact later reading and spelling skills. The structured, multisensory approach used in the Augustine program is built on a foundation of phonological awareness-phonics-fluency-comprehension-vocabulary and each of these areas is incorporated into the lesson plan. It is pure joy to witness the progress that struggling readers can make using this program. I wish I had known about it years ago.

Megan Keiser

Secretary | Board Member since 2018

While teaching public elementary school in Asheville and Carrboro, NC I remember being frustrated that my "teaching toolbox" wasn't complete and that my college course work hadn't prepared me to effectively grow my students' reading skills. Eventually, I was able to participate in professional development based on balanced literacy (with an emphasis on both phonics and comprehension) and also had exposure to effective instruction for students with dyslexia. Now as a professor in the Teacher Education Department at Brevard College, I prepare our candidates' understanding of the stages of reading development and phonological skills. The work that the Augustine Literacy Project does to partner with our local public schools to provide Orton-Gillingham lessons is a radical act of social justice and illustrates a deep commitment to equity. As my former principal once said, if students can't read by the time they leave 3rd grade they will either be destined to drop out or die an early death. I am honored to serve on the board and find ways to build community partnerships to support the work of ALP.

Kim Limerick

Treasurer | Board Member since 2018

I graduated from Gardner Webb University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. I worked for American Greetings for seven years until my son was born. I was a stay at home mom with my son and daughter for 12 years. I volunteered to manage finances for Brevard Community Church, which turned into a full-time position for fourteen years. I currently enjoy managing the financial affairs of three non-profit businesses: Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard, Bound for Glory Camp, and Around the Corner Ministries.

Laura Gardner

Board Member | Board Member since 2019

I earned my BS Ed in English Education/German Education from Western Carolina University, where I worked in the University Writing Center. After graduation, I taught high school English for 5 years and later returned to college to earn my MLIS from NC Central University. I’ve been a Youth Services Librarian at Transylvania County Library since 2014 and love that I’m able to spread a love of learning and curiosity to the children of the community where I grew up. I joined the Augustine Literacy Project – Brevard Board in 2019 and am enthusiastic about having a greater impact on advancing education and literacy in that role.

Augustine Literacy Project-Brevard