Board Member Spotlights

The Community Partner Award is given to an individual or organization which provides extraordinary support in collaborating with LVSC. On June 4, 2025, the Community Partner Award was presented to Father Mattina and Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church.

When the Bound Brook library closed in October 2023, LVSC struggled to find a location to serve our many Bound Brook students. Father Mattina rose to the occasion, offering classroom space in the church’s school building to our beginner classes and tutors. Each night of class, he unlocks the doors, prepares the classrooms, and gives a warm welcome to students and instructors. He goes beyond providing classroom space to providing outreach to parishioners and recruiting both new students and tutors. He also welcomed the LVSC team for an afternoon of assessment testing (and provided snacks!).

Pictured left to right: First Steps Basic English teacher Myriam Adyadou, LVSC Board Member Father Mattina, LVSC Executive Director Aimee Lam, LVSC Literacy Navigator Stella Nieves.Father Mattina extended the welcome beyond Somerset County to include our partners at Literacy NJ-Middlesex who also provide multiple classes at the church. And behind the scenes Father Mattina encourages students to attend class, study, and succeed in their English language journey.

LVSC is proud to provide Bound Brook-area residents the opportunity to learn English close to home. This would not have been possible without the partnership between LVSC and Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church.  We are so grateful to Father Mattina for providing a welcoming space to teach and learn English.