Seattle-Area News Briefs for June 12-20, 2014

Tutoring for Adults at the Library

The Seattle Public Library is now offering walk-in tutoring sessions for adults from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 5 Mixing Chamber.

Library programs and events are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Patrons can check-in on arrival at the Level 5 reference desk.

Tutors will help adult patrons with reading, writing, basic math and English language skills on a drop-in basis. Test preparation help is also available for the GED, Compass and TOEFL exams.

Tutors will assess a patron’s needs and help identify short-term and long-term learning goals and provide resources and materials to help achieve goals. Attendance and progress will be recorded so that learning can be continuous during subsequent visits. Patrons may not be paired with the same tutor each time.

For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or www.spl.org.

Get Your World Cup Kicks at the Seattle Public Library

Three Seattle Public Library locations will each host several World Cup matches in June and July, including the championship game on Sunday, July 13. Everyone is welcome, staff will not make viewers stop cheering, there is no charge and seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

Venues include the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., the Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E., and the High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St. The Central Library is sure to be a popular World Cup viewing venue with its 15-foot x 20-foot screen, 275-seat auditorium and the ability to purchase coffee, soda, sandwiches or snacks at the Chocolati Café on Level 3.

The schedule of World Cup match showings and Library locations are as follows:

Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium (206-386-4103)

$1n  Ghana vs. U.S. – 3 p.m. Monday, June 16

$1n  U.S. vs. Portugal – 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22

$1n  Semifinals – 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 8

$1n  Semifinals – 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 9

$1n   Championship match – 1 p.m. Sunday, July 13

Northgate Branch, 10548 Fifth Ave. N.E. (206-386-1980)

$1n  U.S. vs. Germany – 9 a.m. Thursday, June 26

$1n  Championship match – 1 p.m. Sunday, July 13

High Point Branch, 3411 S.W. Raymond St. (206-684-7454)

$1n  Semifinals – 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 8

$1n  Semifinals – 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 9

$1n   Championship match – 1 p.m., Sunday, July 13

For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or go to www.spl.org.

Parks Summer Tennis League Caters to Youth Beginners

Seattle Parks and Recreation continues its play-based tennis league for youth with little or no experience playing tennis on June 23 at 15 community centers across the city.

This summer’s “QuickStart” league will consist of two age brackets: 7-8 year-olds playing on a 36-foot court (a standard court is 78 feet long) and 9-10 year-olds playing on a 60-foot court. All equipment and supplies will be provided. The league fee is $35 per player for the eight-week program. This year’s 2014 QuickStart Tennis League is proudly sponsored by BECU.

Practices/matches are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., depending on age. QuickStart Tennis starts June 23 and concludes on Aug. 13 with a jamboree fun play day at the new Tennis Center Sandpoint. Sign up at one of your neighborhood community centers or online using your SPARC account. Parent participation is highly encouraged, as this is a family game! For more information, please contact Jeannie Shek, Seattle Parks and Recreation, at 206-684-4764 or [email protected].

Volunteer coaches and parent managers are needed! This helps keep league fees low. Volunteers can be tennis enthusiast, parents, fans or anyone that loves helping kids succeed. No tennis or teaching experience is required – just a passion for working with kids! There will be a FREE QuickStart volunteer on-court trainings Monday, June 16, from 6:30-9:30.p.m. at the Amy Yee Tennis Center.

‘Supporting Startups And Investing In The Community’ June 12

The Seattle Public Library is hosting a town hall session from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12 to explore how the Library can expand its technology, instruction, research and service offerings. The session will be held at the Seattle office of Internet marketing firm Moz, 1100 Second Ave., Suite 500.

The event is free and open to the public and is particularly geared to startups, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and members of the creative and lifelong learning communities. 

“Supporting Startups and Investing in the Community” will feature a keynote presentation by Moz co-founder Rand Fishkin, the “Wizard of Moz.”

One of the Library’s five service priorities is to enhance technology to provide discoverability and increased access to materials, information, services and interactive experiences.

This event is presented in partnership with Moz and The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636.

Seattle Central Honors Class of 2014 Grads at Commencement

Hundreds of family members, friends, faculty and staff are expected to pack Benaroya Hall Saturday, June 14 at 1 p.m., to honor the Class of 2014 graduates during Seattle Central College’s 48th commencement ceremony. In all, the college will confer more than 1,100 degrees, certificates and diplomas representing a variety of programs and fields.

Speaking at the ceremony will be this year’s recipient of Seattle Central’s Distinguished Alumni award:  Katie Hinde, Ph.D., a world-renowned research scientist and assistant professor at Harvard University. She began her academic and professional career at Seattle Central, first in the Running Start program while she was in high school, and then in the College Transfer program. She went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in anthropology. Hinde’s research investigates how variations in mother’s milk and behavioral care influence infants into adulthood, and her findings have been reported in National Geographic, The New York Times, and published in prestigious academic journals.

Hinde is also the daughter of beloved folk singer and Pike Place Market busker Jim Hinde, who died several years ago just after her graduation.

For more info go to www.seattlecentral.edu/commencement/