Learn about our mission, meet our board members, and read our history.
The Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition is a non-profit organization comprised of groups and individuals dedicated to enhancing traditional literacy as well as cultural, financial, medical and technological literacy for all Tuscarawas County residents. We promote public awareness and work collaboratively with local educators, literacy service providers, business, community and ministerial organizations to support and initiate programs that work toward the goal of enhanced literacy.
Denise Cooley has worked as an educator in Tuscarawas and Stark Counties for over 16 years. As an educator, administrator, and leader, she is dedicated to strengthening literacy skills in all populations, including those most vulnerable. She is active in her church, local 4-H programs, Dover Youth sports, and her neighborhood book club. Denise is committed to collaborating with local agencies to address the literacy needs in the community through TCLC. She resides in Dover with her husband Scott, and children Max and Scarlett.
Christine Kendle is the 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator for Ohio State University Extension in Tuscarawas County. Additionally, she serves as an Area Leader for Area 14 which includes Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, and Tuscarawas Counties. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BS in Human Ecology with specialization in Dietetics and an MS in Human Nutrition. Her primary areas of programming emphasis include leadership development, camping initiatives, nutrition, and health related topics. Her passion is to impact lives through the work she does in the community. Chris is an avid reader and also enjoys scrapbooking and quilting. She cherishes the time she spends with her family, husband Todd and daughters Adeline and Allison.
Courtney is the Bolivar Branch Supervisor for the Tuscarawas County Public Library System. Her passion in life is helping people and serving the community. As a student, she struggled with reading and writing, which is why she believes in the literacy coalition’s mission statement. She understands how the right book and person can make all the difference in the world. She received the Trojan Pride Award from the Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools for outstanding service and dedication to the TV community in February 2023.
Rachael Bowers is an English Language Arts and yearbook teacher at Newcomerstown High School. She also serves on the One Book One Community committee through the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition. She constantly strives to pass down the love of learning and desire to continue learning to her students. Rachael prays that each student entering her classroom recognizes their right and capacity to learn and grow as human beings. She believes in the value of learning about our careers, our interests, our families, our world. Rachael lives in Bolivar, Ohio, with her husband Rob and her son Bobby.
Kelsey is the Director of Marketing for DoverPhila Federal Credit Union. She is passionate about serving her community and connecting people with opportunities that empower them to reach their full potential. Kelsey believes in the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition’s mission and looks forward to building and strengthening collaborations to improve literacy within the Tuscarawas County community.
Kari Sommers has worked in literacy and education, both professionally and as an active community volunteer, for over 20 years. Her current work is tutoring elementary students who benefit from getting extra help in reading. She is active with the League of Women Voters of Tuscarawas County and other community groups, as well as multiple book clubs. In her spare time, she can be found reading, trying to get her gardens under control, or spending time with her spouse and three children.
The Literacy Coalition is currently seeking passionate, community-minded individuals to serve as Members at Large on our Board of Directors.
As a Member at Large, you will play a vital role in our mission to promote literacy and learning opportunities for the Tuscarawas County community. Board members meet once a month and actively support the organization by helping guide strategic direction, planning and supporting fundraising events, collaborating with the One Book, One Community planning committee, and serving as ambassadors for literacy in the community.
No prior board experience is required – just a commitment to education, equity, and positive community impact.
Interested?
If you’re ready to make a meaningful difference and volunteer your time, skills, and enthusiasm, we invite you to email your information to tuscarawasliteracy@gmail.com.
The Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition was established in April 2008. The official beginning was the culmination of cooperative work by many community members. Initially, the TCPL Literacy Coordinator, the director of our local ABLE program, and the director of our local Even Start Program met to discuss current literacy statistics in our county and ways to work collaboratively to improve those statistics. The structure and function of literacy coalitions nationwide were studied, and many hours of discussion took place with the then executive chair of the mayor’s Literacy Commission of Stark County. It was decided that a local literacy coalition would be of great value.
Still, the challenge remained of rallying community members around this idea and inspiring the support that would be needed for such a coalition to be effectively successful. This was the challenge that the Leadership Tuscarawas Class of 2008 embraced, and their commitment to the project, and their professional, cooperative and organizational skills led to a community information breakfast that was held on April 18, 2008. Over 75 community members attended this breakfast, indicative of strong community interest and recognition of need. Many agencies were represented, including educational, government, religious, social service, law enforcement and judicial, and individual community members who have a desire to be involved in Coalition projects. Many of the pledge cards we distributed were returned to us at the breakfast itself, and thus the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition was officially established.
