Sunday, April 13, 2014

Literacy - Spanning the U.S: Lodi CA, Pikes Peak CO, Austin TX, Washington DC

Literacy:  Spanning the U.S.

Lodi AAUW members tour library and learn about programs
Lodi News: 4.02.2014

Lodi Branch AAUW (American Association of University Women) met at the Lodi Public Library where Behjat Kerdegari, reference librarian, took us on a tour of the library renovations and invited us back for the reopening which will occur soon.

Yvette Herrera, the literacy and volunteer manager, talked about the literacy program and of its importance in this Women’s History Month. She said that literacy is of utmost importance to people and women in particular. She shared her own story of a father who only went to 4th grade, then worked in the fields so his twin sister could get an education. That sister is now retiring after 36 years as a professor at CSU Long Beach.

Herrera said that 128 of the 213 learners in the Lodi Public Library Literacy Program are women. When asked why she wanted to learn to read, one woman said that she wanted to learn to read and write so she could get a divorce from her abusive husband. She learned to read and write and then went to court, divorced her husband and got full custody of her children. READ MORE !

Tutor Holly Tracy has been helping Colorado Springs adults learn to read for 25 years
Colorado Springs Gazette: 4.04.2014 by Debbie Kelley

It's not that adults who can't read and write are unintelligent or unwilling.

They're bright enough and motivated enough to figure out how to get by in today's high-tech society without those particular skills - in itself a big accomplishment.

"They're very smart. They know how to get around their situation," said Holly Tracy, the Pikes Peak Library District's longest continuous tutor.

But once illiterate adults become literate, a larger world opens up. That's one reason Tracy has been volunteering as a tutor for 25 years.

It's exciting to see when the light bulb goes on," she said.

Tracy has worked with 33 adult learners on an individual basis since 1989, when she retired as a high school teacher and wanted something else to do.

The program is free for students, who must commit to doing homework regularly. Some come and go, Tracy said. "Some start the program and have a problem with work or baby sitters."  READ MORE !

Paul Qui Featured in READ: Feed Your Mind – APL's 2014 Literacy Campaign

READ: Feed Your Mind – the Austin Public Library's 2014 READ poster – features local celebrity Paul Qui, the Chef/Proprietor of qui Restaurant, Founder of East Side King and Top Chef Season 9 Winner. The READ campaign encourages foodies and non-foodies to nourish their brains at the Library. This year, APL's local literacy campaign aims to make the connection between reading and a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy reading habits are just as important to your wellbeing as eating good food. No matter what your taste preferences, the Library is a veritable information buffet certain to satisfy your craving for mental stimulation. Recent studies have shown that reading can reduce depression and stress, improve empathy and protect against Alzheimer's and cognitive deterioration.

Due to his roles in popular eateries Uchi, Uchiko and East Side King, Chef Paul Qui has been an Austin household name for years. In 2012, everything changed when Paul participated in and won Top Chef Texas gaining national exposure. The world fell in love with Paul’s talent, entrepreneurial spirit and obvious passion for food.  READ MORE !

Landmark Report Released on Adult Literacy in D.C.

The Community Foundation’s Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative is excited to announce the release of a landmark report by grantee DC Appleseed on the state of Adult Literacy services in the District of Columbia. The report, the first of its kind, urges District leaders to increase their investments in building the skills of more than 60,000 District adults who cannot read or do math at a basic level. The report makes a compelling case for boosting support for adult literacy given the large investments the District currently makes in job training programming, much of which requires eight grade reading and math skills, and education reform given the critical need for parents to play an active role in their child’s education. The report, highlighted today on WAMU, can be found here.

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