Literacy: Spanning the U.S.
Literacy Volunteers reading the
future, one word at a time
Shoreline Times: 5.23.2017 by
Dan Mulvey
Mark Nelson O’Brien, the new executive director of the Literacy
Volunteers Valley Shore, Inc., owns the O’Brien
Communications group, an company that services “insurers, software developers,
retirement-living communities, and more….”
The Literacy Volunteers serve the towns of Chester,
Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Guilford, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Old Lyme,
Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.
And Mark
O’Brien is a good fit to direct and improve
this literacy volunteer group that helps more than 220 students from more than
65 different countries. Why a good fit?
For one thing he’s a writer of children’s books
(“Martin the Marlin” and “The One and Only Ben” — both written in verse, and
both contain basic English vocabulary), a communications organization owner,
and one truly interested in language as a universal tool of freedom.
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How fitting is it then that O’Brien is the new
executive director of Literacy Volunteers?
To answer an almost rhetorical question not just a
good fit...but a near perfect fit.
“There is nothing more important to me than language,”
O’Brien told me. He then quoted Confucius, the writings of John (“In the beginning
was the word…..” and even I chimed in with a quote from Hamlet; “Words, words,
words…,” although I’m not sure the Prince of Denmark and I would have agreed of
the meaning therein.
About his job at the helm of the Literacy Volunteers
he summed up this way: “I am looking to improve, change, make more efficient
operations, policies and procedures.” READ MORE @
 |
Jimmy
Santiago Baca is keynote at literacy event
Albuquerque Journal:
5.23.2017 by ABQJournal News Staff
Jimmy Santiago Baca
will be the keynote speaker at Reading Works’
Fifth Annual Luncheon for Literacy on June 25.
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Reading
Works provides free tutoring to adults in reading, writing, math, computer
skills and English language acquisition. Luncheon for Literacy raises money to
support those programs.
The
luncheon begins at 11 a.m. at Hotel Albuquerque. Individual tickets are $70,
and a table of ten is $600. They are available at www.reading-works.org through
June 15.
According
to the organization, more than 100,000 adults in the greater Albuquerque area
need literacy services.
Baca
was illiterate at the age of 21 when he faced five to ten years behind bars for
drug possession. While in prison, he taught himself to read and found his
poetic voice. He has received the American Book Award, Pushcart Prize,
International Hispanic Heritage Award, and International Award. His acclaimed
memoir, A Place to Stand, has been produced as a documentary film. READ MORE @
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@literacynj |
Two
Monmouth residents honored at conference
Central Jersey.com: 5.23.2017
Two
Monmouth County residents – one from Howell and one from West Long Branch –
were honored for their efforts to advance adult literacy at Literacy
NJ’s annual conference on April 22.
Literacy
NJ, which provides free adult literacy programs and U.S. citizenship classes in
eight counties, presented the awards at its annual Literacy for Life Conference
at Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, according to a press release.
The
event brought together 200 students, tutors, adult educators and board members
from across the state for a day of professional development.
Adult
literacy tutor Susan George of Howell received the 2017 Award for Tutor
Excellence.
George
started LV-Monmouth’s Project Success program in 2013. The program helps adults
gain the skills needed to enroll in a General Educational Development (GED) or
Adult Basic Education (ABE) course at the local community college.
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Adult
learner Justin Farro of West Long Branch received Literacy NJ’s 2017 Student
Excellence Award.
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Farro
struggled with learning difficulties as a child, but never lost his desire to
learn. He came to Literacy
Volunteers-Monmouth in 2015 to improve his writing and math
skills. Farro recently achieved his goal of writing a letter to a friend using
correct spelling and punctuation, according to the press release.
Literacy
NJ’s statewide network provides free instruction in reading, writing, math and
speaking English to more than 5,700 adults each year. READ MORE @
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