Literacy – Spanning the US :: Henderson NC :: Columbia SC :: Winchester WV :: Wilmington NC

Literacy: Spanning the U.S.     

Blue Ridge

Literacy

Transforming lives via literacy

BlueRidge Now: 6.10.2018 by Dawn Kucera

First, welcome to my column, and thank you for reading it. Every month, I hear from some of you. Since the beginning, I’ve made it a policy to answer every email I get — and to the best of my knowledge, I have, thanking each person for reading my column and taking the time to write.

But I also know there are readers who haven’t written, so I couldn’t say thank you to you. I get to do that now. I feel honored that you read what I write and humbled that you think I might have something worthwhile to say.

Now, let me direct your attention back to the salutation, and focus on the word “reader.” I’m sure you didn’t think much about it — you’ve been reading since kindergarten, or before.

But I want to ask you to consider those to whom that word cannot apply — people whose life journey did not allow them the chance to learn to read. Imagine having to shop for food by the pictures on the package, not understanding road signs, or not being able to fill out a simple form or read a story to your child. It must be a bewildering and frightening way to live.

Fortunately for Henderson County, some folks thought about all this a long time ago. In the late 1970s, the Appalachian Regional Commission issued a grant of $45,000 to fund a two-year program to teach reading. It continued as a true grass-roots effort and grew, with little structure or staff — just a core of dedicated volunteers trying to make difference.

In 1989, the Blue Ridge Literacy Council (BRLC) was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Blue Ridge Tech (now Blue Ridge Community College) provided offices (it still does). Around this time, BRLC added English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to the curriculum.  READ MORE >>

SC program helps incarcerated fathers connection with children through books

WACH Fox57: 6.13.2018 by Andrea Butler

Kirkland Correctional Institution held its first "A Father's Voice" program Tuesday.

As an extension to the "A Mother's Voice" programs at Camille Graham and Leath Correctional Institutions, the program was the first to be held at any male facilities.

The program allows for incarcerated parents, who meet certain criteria such as good behavior while in prison, to record themselves reading a children's book that will be sent to their children so that they can listen to their parents' voice reading to them.

To add more of a personal touch, parent's can prompt their children to do things such as brush their teeth, clean their room, say a prayer and more.

“It is easy to forget that when a parent is sentenced their children are forced to pay for that crime as well through no fault of their own," said SCDC Director Bryan Stirling.

"It is vitally important to help maintain a connection between that offender and their family, so that children back at home know that their parents still care for them.”  READ MORE >>

@LVWA_VA

New citizens celebrate achievement on Flag Day

Winchester Star: 6.15.2018 by Brian Brehm

All Luz Guerrero wanted was the right to vote.

The 54-year-old El Salvador native has been a legal resident of the United States since 1984, but her failure to obtain citizenship blocked her from the polls.

This year, Guerrero decided to do whatever it took to gain the right many Americans take for granted.

She and her husband, Pedro Ramirez, 57, worked with Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area for 13 weeks to gain the civics and history knowledge needed to pass the U.S. citizenship test.

On Thursday afternoon, the newly minted Americans were among nine immigrants from countries including Mexico, Thailand and the Philippines to be celebrated for earning their citizenship with the assistance of the local Literacy Volunteers organization.

“People typically think that all we do is teach people how to read and write. We do so much more, and I think this shows that,” Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area board President Bobby Herndon said at the start of the nonprofit group’s first citizenship celebration, which was timed to coincide with Flag Day. “We will help anybody do almost anything when it comes to learning and literacy.”  READ MORE >>

@cfliteracy

Read all about it! Literacy Council needs your help

Star News Online: 6.16.2018 by StarNews Editorial Board

The Cape Fear Literacy Council’s annual fundraising luncheon was another sellout, and thank goodness. It didn’t take long to see the good this non-profit has been doing for nearly half a century.

Originally launched by the Wilmington Baptist Association in 1970, the organization’s trained volunteers offer one-on-one tutoring to adult students in basic literacy and reading skills. Last year, some 176 tutors worked with nearly 500 students.

The council has branched out over the years, offering training in math, GED preparation, English as a second language and even computer literacy.

There’s certainly a need. By some counts, more than 14,000 adults in New Hanover County alone lack basic literacy skills. Another 40,000 or so function at only the most basic level, well below that expected of a high school graduate.

Why the school system wasn’t able to help these people when they were children is a complex issue and a question for another time. The vital issue now is to help these folks learn to read.  READ MORE >>