Literacy – Spanning the US :: Ventura Co CA :: Colusa Co CA :: Frederick MD

Literacy: Spanning the US

Families First Project

A Literacy Initiative Is Spreading In Oxnard One Neighborhood At A Time

VC Star: 8.12.2019 by Wendy Leung

It's a classic tale of redemption.

A sneaky fox runs around with his thieving ways to the chagrin of the animal kingdom. By the end of the book, the fox realizes the importance of friendship and sincerely apologizes.

Like other storytimes with children, this one featured both rapt listeners and younger wanderers. What's different is this storytime at a south Oxnard park was read in English, Spanish and Mixteco, an indigenous language of Mexico.

Stephanie Perea, 9, who speaks Mixteco at home, had never heard a story in her native tongue. She said it'd be "cool" if Mixteco stories were read at school.

"I like it," she said. "I can learn more Mixteco words."

On Mondays through Thursdays for the month of August, community leaders are reading to children at Southwinds Park starting at 6 p.m.

English, Spanish and bilingual books are read and some are translated to Mixteco. Those who stick around after the reading get a snack of pan dulce and champurrado, a traditional Mexican hot chocolate drink, thanks to a local bakery.

"I have to tell you, Southwinds neighborhood is Southwinds strong," said Lucy Cartagena, who organized the reading initiative.

Cartagena is an Oxnard resident who founded Families First Project of Ventura County, a nonprofit program offering parent education workshops.  READ MORE >>

Colusa County Library

County’s Second Online Graduate Receives Diploma

Appeal Democrat: 8.13.2019 by Lynzie Lowe

Technology has changed the way we do most everything these days, including how some complete their educations.

On July 31, the Colusa County Free Library hosted a graduation ceremony for Maxwell native Savana Crooker, who received her high school diploma with an emphasis in Childcare and Education from Career Online High School.

Alissa Morrow, literacy coordinator at the Colusa County Free Library, said Crooker is not only the second graduate of the Career Online High School program in the county, but she also the is the first student in the program to finish with no previous transcript credits.

“This shows the caliber of her dedication and drive to create a different future for herself, and her family,” Morrow said.

Crooker was able to finish all four years of high school coursework in just one years time because, she said, the self-paced and 100 percent online program allowed her to get school work done whenever possible.

“I snuck schoolwork in every opportunity I came across, waiting rooms at doctor’s offices with the kids, sitting in parking lots waiting for the kids to get out of school,”  Crooker said. “Any spare-ish moment I came across I used.”  READ MORE >>

@LCFC3

Literacy Council Celebrates Achievements Of Adult Learners, Volunteers

Frederick News Post: 8.13.2019

On June 11 the Literacy Council of Frederick County celebrated the life skills achievements of its adult learners, volunteers, and heard testimonials about the impact of the Council’s new workplace literacy and parent outreach initiatives.

Catherine Cox, board president, announced that the Literacy Council has been selected by the Catalogue for Philanthropy Greater Washington for its 2019/2020 class as “one of the best community-based nonprofits in the region.”

The highlight of the evening was witnessing students being applauded for achieving multiple milestones this past year — becoming U.S. citizens, passing the test for a Maryland driver’s license, moving to better housing, helping to support their children’s education needs, volunteering in a school or other community organization, improving English language skills in order to obtain a better job, completing a writing or conversation class, advancing in a curriculum series or gaining a higher reading level. Literacy Council volunteers were recognized for their many hours and years of service contributed over the year.

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner addressed the audience about the value of cooperation between nonprofit organizations, local businesses, schools and government. She presented several special commendations, including recognizing student Karina for becoming a U.S. citizen.  READ MORE >>