Literacy:
Spanning the U.S.
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Editorial:
The most important steps at the Kennett Library
Chester County Press: 10.24.2017 by Richard Gaw
You
write a sentence in your native language and it flows gracefully from the pen
and onto the page. You read a paragraph in your native language and it seems
like an effortless exercise.
For
the past 38 years, men and women have been entering the Kennett Library and
taking the steps to its lower level, in an effort to learn what most of us take
for granted every day of our lives.
Chances
are that everyone who has descended and ascended those steps in an effort to
improve themselves through the library's Adult Literacy Program will say that
although they were among the hardest steps they have ever made, they have also
been the most rewarding.
Since
1979, the ALP has provided free educational instruction to more than 7,000
adults from 55 different countries in five continents, who seek to improve
their levels of English proficiency, necessary to better immerse themselves
into the fabric of life in the United States.
The
ALP at the Kennett Library is now at a potential crossroads; due to a
reorganization in funding and priorities from the federal Department of
Education, the ALP no longer qualifies to receive state and federal adult education
funds. The majority of its funding comes from The United Way of Southern
Chester County and the library itself, as well as funding from foundations,
United Way donor designations, and corporate and private donations. READ MORE >>
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Anniversary,
tutors honored at banquet
Suffolk News Herald: 1.26.2017 by Alex Perry
Lenard
Williams, 55, was poised and earnest as he described his struggles with
illiteracy to a crowd of more than 30 people on Tuesday.
His
school teachers in Richmond would have him draw out answers when he couldn’t write
them down, rather than teach him properly, he said. Williams talked about how
his parents would scold him because they just didn’t think he was trying hard
enough.
“I
just couldn’t catch on,” Williams said.
He could only skim letters he received as an adult to grasp their messages, he
said. He became a capable restaurant chef but still couldn’t read the menus.
He
wanted to finally learn to read and write, he said, so he became a student with
the Suffolk Literacy Council two years ago.
His writing and reading skills have improved tremendously, along with his
confidence, he said.
“When
I first came, I was ashamed of it,” he said. “But I’m not ashamed anymore.”
He
shared his story at the 30th Anniversary and Volunteer Appreciation Banquet
held at the Planters Club in Suffolk on Tuesday. Board members, Suffolk Public
Library representatives, city officials and more gathered to recognize the
expanding programs and dedicated tutors of the Suffolk Literacy Council. READ MORE >>
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The
value of reading well
Kenosha News: 1.28.2017 by Cheryl Hernandez, Kenosha Literacy
Council
If
you could only read as well as a third grader, what would it be like to apply
for a job?
Wisconsin
is facing a growing worker shortage that is expected to worsen over the next
decade, according to Wisconsin State Journal. Employers from a wide range of
industries report difficulty finding workers — and not only for skilled
professionals such as nurses, welders and computer programmers, who require a
strong education and training system, but also for workers with a high school
diploma to be employed at restaurants, farms, construction sites, factories,
senior care facilities, retailers and other businesses.
We
know that adults with a high school diploma will earn $30,000 more than adults
without a diploma and that by 2018, 63 percent of jobs will require education
beyond high school. Adults without a high school diploma are more than twice as
likely to be unemployed, work in low-wage jobs, live in poverty, and rely on
government aid programs than those with higher levels of education.
Forty-three
percent of adults with the lowest literacy levels live in poverty and 90
percent of welfare recipients are high school dropouts. 25 million workers aged
18 to 64 lack even a high school diploma or GED. The value of adult literacy to
our economy is estimated at more than $200 billion per year in additional wages
and reduced costs for public support programs. Educating adults is a sound
investment and integral to the success of our communities.
The
Kenosha Literacy Council helps adult
learners gain skills they need to enter and advance in the workforce. Our
programs teach reading, writing and speaking skills to adults so they and their
families can achieve financial independence and greater involvement in our
community. READ MORE >>
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