Loudoun County Magazine's Profile on the Loudoun Literacy Council

Loudoun County Magazine Summer 2021

LCMG’s Guide to Waterparks in Northern Virginia

Spotlight on Great Escapes in Loudoun County Your Favorite Loudoun Summer Concerts and Outdoor Events Art, Community, Activism and Volunteer Opportunities Interview with Ara Bagdasarian, Kris Loya, and more!

“A Little Piece of Heaven,”Acrylic, Kim T. Richards

Letter About This Project

Summer 2021

Loudoun Community Press launched a new program in 2020 partnering with Loudoun County Public Schools, the Loudoun Literacy Council, and the Loudoun County Public Library, “Writing, Storytelling and Art for Community.” Loudoun students, library patrons, residents, and multilingual learners worked together to produce Loudoun County Magazine, the print and digital magazine that you are reading that will be delivered across Loudoun County this summer. Loudoun Community Press selected student editors through an application process in 2020 with the intention of developing diverse and inclusive voices in local media. Loudoun Community Press is pleased to announce that this year’s Student Editors are Ebaadah Martínez-Jaka-, a homeschooler from Hamilton, Emiya Diaz from Potomac Falls High School in Sterling, and Layne Sheplee from Independence High School in Ashburn.

Loudoun Community Press’s Director, Jessica Monte, says of this project, “We are dedicated to providing space for Loudoun’s vibrant and diverse community to come together through text and visual arts as well as at live storytelling events. This year’s program with Loudoun County Public Schools, the Loudoun County Public Library, and the Loudoun Literacy Council allowed us to bring together the region’s existing educational, media, and literacy institutions and organizations for meaningful dialogue opportunities.”

Additionally, Loudoun Community Press provided writing instruction and tutoring for students and residents interested in improving their journalism, social media, and storytelling skills. This new program creates opportunities for Loudoun students aspiring to write or work in journalism, communications, and the arts, including students and residents from historically underrepresented communities of color and culture, to enter writing spaces and gain industry experience. Ultimately, this program enables diverse and inclusive voices to depict and reflect their experiences, rather than having their experiences interpreted and presented by others.

“The project between Loudoun County Magazine and Loudoun County Public Schools epitomizes the LCPS mission for students to make meaningful contributions to the world,” says Dr. Michelle Picard, Supervisor of Secondary English and Reading for Loudoun County Public Schools. “The project allows students to read, write and speak with authentic audiences and to share diverse experiences.”

Nikki Daruwala, Executive Director of the Loudoun Literacy Council, stated, “We are pleased to partner with Loudoun County Magazine to amplify the voices of our students, empowering them through storytelling and shared experiences. The project aligns with our goals of building identity, advancing agency, cultivating belonging, and fostering community through literacy.”

Susan VanEpps, the Division Manager for Programming and Community Engagement for Loudoun County Public Library said: “Loudoun County Public Library was happy to invite the winners of our annual adult writing contest, Write On, to submit their stories for this brand new community project.”

The “Writing, Storytelling and Art for Community” project is also a career development initiative. The program offers pre-professional experiences as a pathway to meaningful careers in writing, journalism and the arts and provides mentoring and guidance, networking opportunities, and access to local leaders, business owners, and professionals from the Loudoun community. It promotes dialogue about diverse communities and encourages examination of underlying social and historical issues.

About Loudoun Community Press Loudoun Community Press offers access to writing, journalism, and art education with numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative learning and other hands-on learning experiences for students and residents living and working in Loudoun County. Loudoun Community Press oversees Loudoun County Magazine and is dedicated to building community with the publication of print and digital media.

For more information, visit http://www.loudouncommunitypress.org

Table of Contents Explore: Escape Rooms in Loudoun County 6 Food: Petite Lou Lou Creperie

8

You Can Do Anything Here: Step-by-step Watercolor Painting Guide

10

Be Cool in Loudoun this Summer Waterpark and Pool Guide

12

Music: We’ve Been Protesting

14

Health: How to Adjust to the New Normal

17

Featured Tastemaker: Madison Belle

18

Art: Meet Kris Loya

19

Essay: New to Loudoun

22

Community: Loudoun Literacy Council

23

Leadership with Ara Bagdasarian

25

Fiction, Poetry, and Art

28

Events: Summer Concerts and Festivals

30

School: Freedom High School Favorite Summer Hangout Spot: One Loudoun Summer Dessert: Kona Ice Snow Cone Book: Good To Great by Jim Collins Dream Destination: Venice Beach, California

Brandon Esguerra Student Editor

School: Homeschooled Favorite Summer Event: Summer camp with Scouts BSA Troop Favorite Summer Hangout Spot: Bears Den in Bluemont Favorite Summer Dessert: Key lime pie with vanilla ice cream Art/Play/Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: Panic! At the Disco concert Favorite Book or Podcast: the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce Dream Destination in 2021: Iceland for the Northern Lights!

Ebaadah Martínez-Jaka Student Editor

School: Independence High School Favorite Summer Event: Vacation to Bethany Beach Summer Hangout Spot: Downtown Leesburg Summer Dessert: Black Raspberry Ice Cream Art/Play/Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: Hamilton at the Kennedy Center Book or Podcast: Harry Potter Dream Destination in 2021: Rome, Italy

Layne Sheplee

Student Editor School: Potomac Falls High School Favorite Summer Event: Rolling Loud and the Carnival Favorite Summer Hangout Spot: One Loudoun Summer Dessert: Shaved Ice Art/Play/Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: Bonnie and Clyde Favorite Book or Podcast: Percy Jackson Series Dream Destination in 2021: Paris

Emiya Diaz

Student Editor School: Independence High School Favorite Summer Event: Any concert/music festival Summer Hangout Spot: Downtown Leesburg Summer Dessert: Cotton Candy Ice Cream Art/Play/Show You Hope to See in the D.C. region soon: Swan Lake or the Cinderella Ballet Podcast: Imagined Life

Ella Huck

Student Photographer

Jessica Monte

Director of Loudoun Community Press

Beth Huck, Sarah Giardenelli, Matthew Monte & My Pham Board of Directors Loudoun Community Press

Summer 2021 Issue #2 Published By Loudoun Community Press For sponsorship, contact info@loudouncommunity-

Essay: “Being New to Loudoun County” Nearly two years ago in Brazil, my life was calm and easy. I was

surrounded by family and operated my own dental office, which I owned for 15 years. My children David and Lucas, ages 4 and 6, attended an excellent international school. However for a number of reasons, my husband and I ultimately wanted to live in the United States.

My husband was building a new freight forwarding company called Porthos International Corporation. For 3 years, our life was upside down; Julio was in the U.S. much of the time and only in Brazil some of the time. Being away from each other for so long was hard. So, two years ago, we decided it was time to move our family to the U.S. It was December, between Christmas and New Years. It symbolized a new beginning but it was our first time alone on this holiday. It was a mark of the changes to come. Our lives would never be the same. I have never had the chance to live in a place with four seasons. Winter, though cold and dark, provided the pleasure of a hot chocolate or a cup of coffee, something I hadn’t enjoyed in snow before. Spring is a renaissance--every single color showed us the value of new beginnings. Then, came summer, which is as if I am at home in Brazil. We loved the hot weather and the bright sun which arrived earlier each day. We appreciated the longer days so that we are able to work and produce more. However, fall is my favorite season. I cannot describe to my friends and family in Brazil the beauty of the colors in this season. For me it is a new painting every day, happening right in front of my eyes.

There is so much to learn, understand and discover. It has been

a learning experience for my entire family. Every single day, we learn different words, habits, attitudes, flavors and foods. It has been a pleasure to be part of my new community, which is so diverse and enthusiastic.

Leaving Brazil for a new country has not been easy, but I am so grateful and pleased to live in the Loudoun community these last 2 years. We have met so many nice people from across the area who have helped us. I believe more good things will come our way. We are doing our best to be a part of the United States and our local community. We hope to achieve our goals in Loudoun by sending our children to great schools, building my husband’s shipping business in Sterling, and helping our neighbors. We are grateful to finally call Loudoun our HOME. Essay by Erica Morelli, a Loudoun Literacy Council student who lives with her husband and two children in Ashburn.

Loudoun Literacy Council: Enriching Lives and Community

The Loudoun Literacy Council has been changing lives in Loudoun County for over 40 years.

The Loudoun Literacy Council is a non-profit organization that teaches English and provides communication skills to adults and children, in partnership with many organizations, including the Loudoun County Public Library, the Loudoun County Health Department, and Loudoun County Public Schools. They also partner with other nonprofits, like Loudoun Hunger Relief. ”We are in constant partnership with a number of other organizations all to be able to come together to serve the needs of our students,” said Nikki Daruwala, the Executive Director of the Loudoun Literacy Council.

Ms. Daruwala oversees the many events and programs that the LLC hosts, including it’s Favorite Book Friday, which encourages people to think about a selected book shared by the Loudoun Literacy Council; another popular program is Read Across Loudoun, when people record themselves reading a book and the recording can be shared to families with younger children.

“As Executive Director, I have the absolute honor and the absolute privilege to lead a team of fantastic dedicated volunteers and staff that then provide the programs that we are able to do in the com-

munity,” shared Ms. Daruwala. “So, for me, it’s about how we are able to resource our organization, whether it’s people or financial support. This allows us to be able to do really important and critical work in the community.”

For adults, the Loudoun Literacy Council provides classes via Zoom. They also offer training and tutorials to help people who may not know how to get onto electronic platforms.

“We’ve been able to provide one-on-one attention through a variety of different media, whether it’s texting, or picking up the phone and having phone conversations with our students. There are several methods we use to be able to stay in touch and be able to support them,” explained Ms. Daruwala.

The Loudoun Literacy Council has provided books to children served on a monthly basis in Head Start and STEP programs.

These preschool programs are run by Loudoun County Public Schools to help children prepare for kindergarten.

For new parents, the Loudoun Literacy Council provides baby book bundles, which are several board books. These could be bilingual books which enable a parent who speaks a language other than English to read in a language they are familiar with. Parents and guardians can learn English side by side as they read to their child.

person. The Loudoun Literacy Council would provide a meal for them, along with “edutainment,” which is educational entertainment. Additionally, the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts would lead programs that included drumming, reading and acting out a book, or participatory reading and learning.

Because of COVID-19, the LLC has been hosting Family Literacy Nights online with Zoom.

“We continue to remain concerned about the effects of COVID on a widening education gap,” affirmed Ms. Daruwala. “We really truly believe that the work that we do is not in isolation. We have it ingrained in our business model. And our work model is a partnership ethic.”

Ms. Daruwala says clients may also have food insecurity. A partnership with Loudoun Hunger Relief and over 2 dozen other area non-profits allows the Loudoun Litearcy Council to provide food services to clients during these unprecedented times.

”Most of a child’s early learning happens really early on and so it’s extremely important that children are read to at a very early age,” Ms. Daruwala stressed.

The Loudoun Literacy Council is truly passionate about this work. Ms. Daruwala mentioned, ”Our immigrant population and communities in Loudoun bring cultural heritage and enrich the fabric of Loudon in such a tremendous way, that we want to be able to help them have a voice, a seat at the table, and be able to vocalize, communicate and participate fully and wholly in what makes Loudon such a beautiful place to live, work, and play.”

“Since COVID-19, the Loudoun Literacy Council has distributed over 16,000 books in the community, with the hopes that children would continue to read” Ms. Daruwala said.

When asked what she would say to everyone in Loudoun County regarding the importance of learning and reading, Ms. Daruwala said, ”In a world full of information, literacy is a basic skill. So think about it. We live in a world that is constantly communicating, whether it’s written, whether it’s verbal, you are always communicating. And if you don’t have the literacy skills that you need, you are left behind. And for us, that is not an acceptable thing. So in a world full of information, literacy is the most basic survival skill.”

Prior to the pandemic, the Loudoun Literacy Council hosted Family Literacy Nights, where families and their children come in

Article by Ebaadah Martina-Jaka, Photo courtesy of Nikki Daruwala.

The Loudoun Literacy Council has responded to COVID-19 by hosting programs and events over Zoom, as well as smaller in-person events with masks and social distancing.

al, professional and personal goals. As an immigrant herself, Natasha knows firsthand the challenges of living and working in community that speaks only English. She credits her language training with helping her to achieve her goals, and finds it deeply rewarding to share that opportunity with her employees.

Community & Business Corner Beginning in the month of May, the Loudoun Literacy Council is providing an 8-week English class through their Jobsite Literacy Program for employees at You’ve Got Maids .The class meets one evening each week via Zoom. Curriculum is customized for employees and incorporates vocabulary and terminology pertinent to their profession.

Natasha Magrath, owner of You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia sees this program as a stepping-stone for employees. She hopes this program will motivate them to continue with their own education-

“By giving my team the best training and tools available, including enhancing their English language skills, I feel we are setting them up for not only advancement at You’ve Got Maids, but opportunities to thrive outside of work,” said Magrath. “We have a wonderfully diverse team of cleaning professionals at You’ve Got Maids, and I want them all to have the same opportunities for advancement. By giving them these extra tools, we are giving them a gift they will be able to take with them forever.”

The Jobsite Literacy Program helps employees improve their skills, confidence, and productivity which, in turn, benefits the employer and the community at-large. It’s a win-win-win situation for all,” stated Nikki Daruwala, Executive Director, Loudoun Literacy Council. The Loudoun Literacy Council has been providing literacy services for 41 years.

Loudoun County Public Library “Write On” Submissions, Loudoun Literacy Council Student Work, and At-Large Submissions “Recuerdos Cubanos.”Oil on aluminum panel, Suzanne Lagos Arthur

During

the pandemic, students at the Loudoun Literacy Council pressed on and persevered with their language learning. The following submissions come from an intermediate to advanced class of adult learners who work at Fabbioli Wine Cellars in Leesburg. Students were asked to write about their favorite hobby.

“My favorite hobby is hiking. It is so relaxing to see nature.

I started hiking by helping my family take care of our animals: sheep, cows, and horses. Hiking was part of our work.

It was fun to take the cattle different places and walk the sheep to the woods. Hiking is part of me.” ~Celia “I started making wine when I was 25 years old. My boss, Doug Fabbioli, was my teacher. Over the last 5 years, I have practiced and experimented. Now that I have experience making wine, I feel ready to teach others, including my wife, how to make wine.” ~Arturo

“Swimming is my favorite hobby. I started swimming when I was six years old. My cousin taught me. Since then, I have practiced and taught myself. After swimming for 19 years, I want to swim the sea.” ~Lupe “My favorite hobby is listending to music. I have been listening to music all of my life.” ~Rebecca “Cooking is my favorite hobby. Sometimes, cooking is not fun, but I want to learn more about it.” ~Felix