Literacy:
Spanning North America
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Literacy
Volunteers celebrates 40 years
Daily Bulldog: 10.16.2017
Celebrating 40 years, Literacy
Volunteers continues to thrive in Franklin County, recently
expanding services to the Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls area.
Next month the program will partner with Spruce
Mountain Adult Education offering a literacy center to locals. The center will
be a space for tutors to meet with students, hold events for the organization
and offer free books through the Traveling Libraries program. Currently the
program serves 92 people in eight towns and has distributed 48 new books to
participants in their New Books/New Readers club. Tutors and students work on
things such as learning how to vote, read a recipe, correspond with health care
providers and understand prescription labels.
In addition to their expansion geographically, a
space donated by St. Joseph's Church in Farmington will allow program
coordinators to organize book donations for the Traveling Libraries and offer a
central location for the libraries to restock their shelves. The Traveling
Libraries now have eight locations across Franklin and Somerset counties. The
program has distributed over $55,000 worth of books to homes across the region. READ MORE >>
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Florence Literacy Council says high illiteracy rate contributes to
crime, unemployment
WBTW: 10.16.2017 by Kiahnna Patterson
Twenty-one percent of
Americans read below a fifth-grade reading level, according to the U.S.
Department of Education and the National
Institute of Literacy. In Florence, that number jumps to 33
percent. The Florence
Area Literacy Council wants to start a new program to help
more people learn to read.
Every day for the last 12 years Christina Lawson,
Florence Area Literacy Council Executive Director, has taught adults how to
read better.
“The most important part of our job is to let them
know that we know that’s the biggest and most important decision that they have
made and we want to support them,” she explained.
Lawson says 33% of adults in Florence County are
‘functionally illiterate,’ which means they read at or below a fifth-grade
reading level.
“Our crime rates, unemployment rates everything
can be tied back to high illiteracy rates,” said Lawson. “Really it’s a
disability for them.” WATCH VIDEO
Adult learners in the central Interior getting literacy tools to thrive
BC Gov News: 10.16.2017
The Province is investing in local community-based
programs to help adult learners break the barriers they face in building their
futures.
Literacy skills, such as strong reading, writing
and computer skills, are being taught and are giving people in the central
Interior the ability to build relationships with others, read for enjoyment,
budget or apply for a job.
“Literacy is the gift that keeps on giving because
it empowers people and society as a whole,” said Advanced Education, Skills and Training
Minister Melanie Mark. “Investing in these community-based literacy programs is
an investment in people’s lives. People can change their lives for the better
and lift themselves up as a result of greater literacy skills.”
The programs include one-on-one tutoring or small
group training for adult learners. This helps ensure their education is
tailored to their individual educational needs. The programs are provided in a
variety of locations that are easily accessible for adult learners, including
public school libraries, community centres and public libraries.
“Our government is working to provide services
that support the success of British Columbians where and when they need them,”
said Education Minister Rob Fleming. “These literacy programs are provided in
familiar and easily accessed settings where they feel welcome and can be
comfortable improving their literacy skills.”
The community-based programs are delivered in
partnership with Thompson Rivers University. READ MORE >>
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Literacy organization has been 'lighting the way'
for 50 years
Press Connects: 10.17.2017 by Katie Sullivan
On Oct. 21, author and motivational speaker Craig
Boykin was to share his story of growing up in a broken home, dropping out of
high school and facing the harsh reality of a life without an education.
His audience was unique: a group of literacy
tutors, students and volunteers gathered at Vestal's American Legion Post 89 on
Jensen Road, whose mission is to fight circumstances like Boykin's and light the
way to a better future.
Literacy
Volunteers of Broome-Tioga Counties hosted a Literacy Lights
the Way Gala that day, but its history stretches back half a century.
Founded in 1967, the organization began as an
initiative to help improve the literacy and basic skills of adults, back when
20 percent of them had very low literacy skills, according to the organization.
One of the first Literacy Volunteers of America
affiliates, the local chapter trained volunteers to teach basic literacy and
English as a second language to a host of immigrants and earnest learners
looking to become American citizens. READ MORE>>
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