Literacy – Spanning the US: Chicago IL:: Tulsa OK :: Richmond CA

Literacy:  Spanning the U.S.

Talking lit with the women of Literacy Works

WGN Radio: 9.28.2014 by Courtney Crowder [Audio]

Literacy Works

Rick Kogan is joined by Christine Kenny and Betsy Rubin of Literacy Works, a Chicago-based nonprofit working to strengthen adult literacy and provide knowledge-sharing opportunities for professionals and volunteers.

From the organization’s website: “Over 600,000 adults in the Chicago region cannot read or write well enough to meet the demands of today’s economy or attain their own goals. Literacy Works’ vision is that one day, all people will be able to realize their full potential through the ability to read, write and interpret the world. This ideal inspires our team and drives our work.”

Literacy tutor, student become friends

Tulsa World: 9.12.2014 by Nour Habib

Despite studying English for five years in school, Patricia Marti has not quite completely mastered the language.

“You have to live in the city to catch the language,” said Marti, a native of Venezuela who has only been in the United States for about a year.

Marti moved to the U.S. with her husband when the engineering company he works for transferred him to Tulsa. A pathologist in her country, Marti wants to start practicing here.

To do that, she’s working on her English. She has taken classes at Tulsa Community College, has joined English clubs and attended conversation circles. But the most useful tool for Marti so far has been the library’s literacy tutoring program.

“It’s a whole hour just for me,” she said.

Marti heard about the Tulsa City-County Library’s Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service through a friend. She added her name to the waiting list in January and was paired with her tutor in March.

The literacy service matches volunteer tutors, who have attended a library training workshop, with anyone 16 or older who reads at or below a sixth-grade level.

English Language Learners, like Marti, are also paired with a volunteer, if they know enough conversational English to communicate with the tutor.

Suzanne Rausch signed up to become a tutor in March and was paired with Marti.

Rausch, who has a background in journalism, said she and Marti started out just getting acquainted.

“Now, we’re friends,” she said.  READ MORE !

LEAP celebrates 30 years of educating Richmond adults

Richmond Confidential: 9.30.2014 by Candese Charles

Hugs and congratulatory handshakes were exchanged last Sunday as the Literacy for Every Adult Program (LEAP) celebrated 30 years of teaching in Richmond.

As several hundred attendees bounced from information tables to carts of free books, music from the Hilltop Ukulele Lovers Academy played throughout the quad of the Civic center.

“I owe it all to LEAP to be honest,” said Kendell Biggers, a 2010 LEAP graduate and GED recipient. “If it wasn’t for LEAP I would just never finish school. I am pretty sure of that.” Biggers is now a student at Contra Costa College.

Graduates, students, and LEAP staff joined Biggers as they thanked program coordinators and returning staff for the years of service to the community.

At the Civic Center, parents, children, and LEAP members enjoyed  a day of celebration that included literacy workshops, interactive story-telling, making original picture books, and a reading and poetry workshop hosted by Richmond’s 2014 Poet Laureates — Donte Clark, Brenda Quintanilla and Lincoln Bergman.

Formed in 1984 LEAP is one of the first library literacy programs in California funded by the state. The costs of sharing its free programs are also subsidized by the Richmond Public Library. READ MORE !