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Michelle Tessin, Director of the Northland Area Family Canter is pleased to announce the addition of Aubrey Watson to the Family Center staff. Watson, of Grand Rapids, Mich., recently moved to the area to work with the Family Center designing and implementing a literacy program.

Watson, an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) member, received her Associate's degree from Grand Rapids Community College. She then earned a degree in English Literature from Western Michigan University. She joined AmeriCorps, the domestic version of the PeaceCorps, and is taking part in a one year volunteer program where she will serve the non-profit family center to create and expand programs for the benefit of the community.

Her work will include getting to know the community, building her community involvement and fundraising skills, and to help design and find funding for a community-wide family literacy program.[[In-content Ad]]Her first few weeks on the job found her getting to know some of the residents of the area by volunteering at Tossed and Found Boutique, in Longville, the Longville Food Shelf, and Second Chance Thrift Store, in Remer.

She hopes to develop a program similar to the "Bright Red Book Shelf" program, which brings easily recognizable, brightly colored bookshelves into Northland communities where books will be accessible to everyone, especially families with children ages birth to five.

Watson plans to return to Michigan to attend Graduate School once her commitment with AmeriCorps is complete. She plans on working towards her Master's in Library and Information Studies, to become a librarian.

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