Retired kindergarten teacher Debby Szajnberg of West Hartford, with Hartford fourth grader Jeremith

Retired kindergarten teacher Debby Szajnberg of West Hartford, seen here mentoring Hartford fourth grader Jeremith at the Hartford Public Library, is one of 10 volunteers from Kehilath Chaverim in West Hartford who travel to Hartford one night a week to help the 40 kids and 23 parents of the Parent Academy, a family literacy project for Hartford Latino families with young children. “My grandparents came to this country from Eastern Europe,” explains Szajnberg, “My father began school as a Yiddish speaker. I enjoy meeting families with young children, welcoming these newcomers to our community.”