Literacy: Spanning the U.S.
Health and Literacy Education
Combined
Altus Times: 3.15.2016
According to the 2014 State of the
State’s Health Report, the leading causes of death in Jackson County and Harmon
County are heart disease and cancer. In both Jackson County and Harmon County,
one in five adults (20 percent) reported 3+ days with limited activity in the
past month. These statistics illustrate why there are several needs to target
Jackson County and Harmon County adult population, who will in turn influence
the youth.
Another alarming concern about
Oklahoma was included in the most recent National
Assessment of Adult Literacy. It estimated 43 percent of
Oklahoma’s adults function with the most basic or below-basic literacy skills
of reading simple everyday literacy activities.
These statistics illustrate why
there are several needs to target Jackson County and Harmon adult population.
And for these reasons, the Great
Plains Literacy Council wanted to address both health and
literacy issues. This educational grant project has been made possible through
the federal Library Services and Technology Act funding received through the Institute
of Museum and Library Services and administered through the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Literacy Services. READ MORE @
Gulf Power honors nonprofits
Pensacola News Journal: 3.16.2016 by
Carlos Gieseken
When someone is functionally
illiterate, it means bank statements, road maps or road signs, job
applications, apartment leases and all the other forms of necessary written
communication are inaccessible.
“There are about 34,000 estimated
adults in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties where, if we tested them, they would
be functionally illiterate,” said Manette Magera, executive director of Learn to Read of Northwest Florida. “They can read a
little bit but not at a level where they can survive."
The adult literacy program, which
was founded in 1984, pairs adult students with tutors. It was one of four
honored Tuesday night at the Power of Service Awards, hosted at Voices of
Pensacola by Gulf Power. READ MORE @
Local
Mariposa County Woman is Sworn in as U.S. Citizen
Sierra Sun Times: 3.17.2016
Hiliana
Gleave of Midpines recently became a U.S. citizen during a swearing-in ceremony
at the Fresno Convention Center.
A
native of Honduras, Gleave visited her cousin in Yosemite in 2009. There she
met her future husband, Mark Gleave, who was employed by Delaware North
Company. They married the following year. In 2012 enrolled in the adult
literacy program at the Mariposa Library to work on the skills
Gleave she would need to take the citizenship test, including English language
and U.S. history.
Volunteer
tutors Mitchel Terkildsen and Linda Erhardt worked closely with Gleave during
the next three years. When it was finally time to complete the application
forms, Tom Martin volunteered to help. They also attended the swearing-in
ceremony, along with her husband, family friends and Adult Literacy Coordinator
Karen Dusek.
When
asked about his experience tutoring Gleave, Terkildsen said, “The words that
keep coming to mind are hard-working, motivated and very pleasant. It’s very
satisfying as a volunteer to have been able to experience with her becoming an
American citizen.”
Gleave
understands the importance of a good education. She holds a bachelor’s degree
in Spanish from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Francisco Morazán and
worked as an elementary school teacher and college administrator in Honduras.
She is currently working as a housekeeper and hopes to find expanded job
opportunities with her new status as a citizen and by continuing to improve her
spoken and written English language skills.
“It
is a great opportunity to live in a great country in peace and work hard to
build a wonderful life,” Gleave said. “And now English is my language, so I
have to learn my language.” READ MORE @
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| @LCLitCouncil |
Lafayette
County Literacy Council marks 20 years
Oxford Eagle: 3.18.2016
Twenty
years after its founding as a small community nonprofit, the Lafayette County Literacy Council is
realizing its earliest goal of equipping adult learners, while also fostering
literacy skills at the family level.
“Literacy
transforms people’s lives by opening up new opportunities,” said Board
President Vicki Fowlkes, a former educator. “Beyond those individual gains, we
benefit as a community when more people can read well and pass those skills to
their children. Having a literate citizenry raises the social, economic and
cultural quality of life for us all.”
Its
mission is to “improve the quality of life in Oxford and Lafayette County
through literacy and reading.”
While
the goal is broad, the Literacy Council has spent recent years honing in on
those activities that are most effective and finding new ways of reaching those
who need its services the most.
“We
believe that it is never too late to start learning,” said Sarah McLellan,
Lafayette County Literacy Council executive director, “and are fortunate to
have an amazing community by our side supporting our programs.” READ MORE @
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| @VAELN |
Virginia
Literacy Foundation recognizes Literacy for Life director Joan Peterson
Virginia Gazette: 3.18.2016 by Heather Bridges
The
Virginia Literacy Foundation has named
Literacy for Life executive director Joan Peterson winner of the 2016 Nancy
Jiranek Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements by a director of a
literacy organization.
In
Peterson's eight years of leadership, the adult literacy program at Literacy
for Life has grown from 370 learners to nearly 750, and revenue has tripled,
according to a recent news release.
But
Peterson attributes the organization's success to teamwork: "Literacy for
Life is a dynamic organization with an incredibly talented staff that has
allowed us to do some innovative work," she said.
One
such innovation is the Health Education and Literacy (HEAL) Program, which is
funded by the Williamsburg Health Foundation. HEAL both improves health
literacy among low-literate adults and trains medical staff in working with
low-literate patients. In 2015, the program received a national Award for
Program Innovation and Collaboration from ProLiteracy.
A
recent initiative is "Destination Graduation," a partnership with
Williamsburg-James City County schools. This mentoring and tutoring program
supports high school students at risk of not graduating on time, or at all.
Destination Graduation is slated to launch in the fall. READ MORE @
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