About Us

Who We Are

Queen's Students for Literacy is a campus-based chapter of United for Literacy - an organization dedicated to improving literacy skills and spreading literacy awareness across Canada. QSL is based in Kingston, Ontario and runs with the help of volunteers from Queen's University. To increase literacy skills, we follow the Student-Centered Individualized Learning (SCIL) philosophy which reminds us that at the end of the day, our mission is all about helping individuals wherever we can.

Our Programs

Read for Fun: Working one-on-one with children ages 6-12 to increase their literacy and numeracy skills in community Reading Circles located at various schools, libraries and non-profit organizations within the City of Kingston. The main goal of Read for Fun is to instill a love of reading. 

Literacy Outreach: Working with children and youth to increase their literacy and numeracy skills in local shelters for women, families and youth as well as Immigration Services Kingston and Area (ISKA) multicultural youth groups.

Math is Might: Tutoring students in grades 7-12 in math. Students may need assistance with schoolwork or simply wish to develop their understanding in certain topics. The main goal of Math is Might is to promote math literacy among youth. 

Our History

We are the oldest club at Queen's - 123 YEARS AND COUNTING!

Literacy is a Right, Not A Privilege


In 1899, Alfred Fitzpatrick, the founder of United for Literacy, challenged university students from Queen's University to go out to logging camps, rail gangs, mining camps and other isolated areas to share their knowledge with the workers.  He asked them to get out of their fine university attire and into overalls so that they could join in the manual work of United for Literacy. Founded in 1899 as the Canadian Reading Camp Movement, United for Literacy brought education to thousands of labourers in remote northern logging, mining and railway camps. Today, while educating migrant farm workers strengthens its country roots, United for Literacy has also evolved into a powerful urban force for literacy.


Alfred Fitzpatrick, founder of United for Literacy

United for Literacy Headquarters in Toronto, Ontario

2023-2024 Team

Kaite Mitchell

Director of Operations

queensstudentsforliteracy@gmail.com

Tia Jalilian

Math is Might Chair

queensmathismight@gmail.com

Cameron Lee

Read for Fun Chair

queensreadforfun@gmail.com

Media Mokhtarnia

Literacy Outreach Chair

queensliteracyoutreach@gmail.com

Noel Jung

Statistics and Records Chair

feedback.qsliteracy@gmail.com

Julia Gutzin

Read for Fun OT

19jmg8@queensu.ca

Julia Havey

Read for Fun OT

19jah10@queensu.ca

Alice Park

Read for Fun OT

21ayp2@queensu.ca



Camila Schmidt

Read for Fun OT

19css10@queensu.ca

Livia Muir

Literacy Outreach OT

muirlivi@gmail.com

Billy Turner

Literacy Outreach OT

billy.turner@queensu.ca

Marissa Little

Literacy Outreach OT

marissa.little@queensu.ca

Clare Kim

Math is Might OT

20hk41@queensu.ca

Harsheen Bali

Math is Might OT

20hkb2@queensu.ca

Rhyd Samuel

Statistics and Records OT

19rps1@queensu.ca

Chelsea Lam

Resources OT

20csl4@queensu.ca