Literacy News
LVA LEARNERS HONORED BY DCPL's ADULT LITERACY RESOURCE CENTER
by Literacy Volunteers and Advocates on 05/01/13Recently, the effectiveness of LVA was demonstrated when two adult learners were selected to receive honorable mentions in the Women's History Month essay contest sponsored by the DC Public Library's Adult Literacy Resource Center.
Marie Rose Senghor and Catherine Lambert each received an "honorable mention" for the essays they entered in the contest. A recognition ceremony was held on the evening of Tuesday, April 30 at the Martin Luther King, Jr, Memorial Library.
Both Ms. Senghor and Ms. Lambert have inspiring stories to share.
Ms. Senghor came to the United States from Senegal nearly two decades ago. Today she is a citizen.
Ms. Senghor received only an elementary school-level education in Senegal, a West African country where statistics from the CIA World Fact Book indicate that well over half the country is defined as lacking basic literacy skills.
Ms. Senghor came to this country seeking greater opportunity but, in an
interview, she says she eventually came to realize "so many jobs, so many things, you need to know how to read."
"When I came to America, the first year was hard because I didn't have any family here," she wrote in her essay. "I didn't speak English or read or write."
Ms. Senghor says she learned to speak English just by listening to people and from listening to the television. Thanks to someone who referred her to LVA, she's been able to improve her basic skills.
"It's helped a lot. Before LVA I couldn't even write my name," she says. Thanks to LVA she can now.
"In my country, " she says, "you would need to pay" to obtain the kind of help that LVA offers. The money she earned babysitting and cleaning houses and working on her family farm in Senegal went to her family's needs, not her own schooling.
"Today I can read and write. I studied American history and passed the citizenship test," she writes in her essay.
Catherine Lambert's own experience is testament to why adult literacy is so important in DC. Simply passed through the DC Public School system,. despite severe learning deficits, Ms. Lambert ended up leaving Roosevelt High School without graduating. She was struggling to make it despite lacking strong abilities in mathematics or reading.
Fed up with her limitations and aware that the area's employers are demanding increasingly that the people they hire have a GED or high school diploma, Ms. Lambert decided to take action.
Ms. Lambert approached our sister organization, the Academy of Hope, which prepares students for the GED test, to see if she could study there. Academy of Hope suggested that Ms. Lambert start her studies at LVA.
She's been through LVA's Basic and Level One programs and is now taking Level II courses. It's trying at times but worth it as she told the City Council recently when testifying about the importance of having the DC Government make sure adult literacy programs are adequately funded.
Interested in learning how to write an essay, Ms. Lambert saw the contest as an opportunity to learn. Receiving help from her instructors, Ms. Lambert, like Ms. Senghor, produced a well-written entry.
"I like Harriet Tubman because she was a remarkable, strong Black Woman," Ms. Lambert's essay asserts. Even though the conductor of the Underground Railroad lacked a formal education, Ms. Lambert writes, "She was on a mission from God and had the strength to know what to do to get those people out of bondage."
Leitha Wilson, lead instructor/administrator for LVA, insists, "We're very, very excited that honors have been given to Catherine and Marie Rose. Both have made great strides."
Once learners like Ms. Lambert and Ms. Senghor discover what they can accomplish, they are inspired to continue learning.
Ms. Senghor is uncertain as to what she would like to do but obtaining a GED is certainly a consideration. She writes in her essay, "I am still working on my reading and writing to become better. I am thankful to my tutors and LVA for helping me. "
Ms. Senghor has also convinced her sister, Madeleine, to start taking classes with LVA.
We might be hearing more from Ms. Lambert. She says, "Since I've learned how to write essays, I look forward to writing more of them."
Recently, a Washington Post headline proclaimed "Illiteracy is DC's biggest challenge." The experiences of Ms. Lambert and Ms. Senghor provide evidence that, given adequate help, we can overcome that challenge.
LVA: Tackling DC's Biggest Challenge
by Literacy Volunteers and Advocates on 04/09/13Recently, Washington Post columnist Colbert King labelled illiteracy to be DC's "biggest challenge."
King's March 8th column is welcomed by those who are working to promote adult literacy. Too little attention is paid to the many DC residents (20% in 2003) who lack the basic literacy skills needed to succeed in life. Mr. King defined the problem.
In too many cases, the illiteracy of the parents and grandchildren becomes the inheritance of the children and grandchildren.
Too many children and grandchildren are growing up in DC with parents and grandchildren who are unable to share the pleasure of reading books together.
Too many children and grandchildren are growing up with parents and grandchildren unable to perform the most basic calculations in mathematics that can be useful in everyday living.
Too many children and grandchildren are growing up in DC with parents and grandchildren who cannot read the labels on prescription medicine containers, food, and news bulletins.
That is why adult literacy matters.
LVA is working to arrest the high rate of illiteracy in the District. Many people come to LVA seeking to learn to better their skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Many people come to LVA to volunteer their time to ensure more DC residents can improve those skills.
Keep an eye out for our newsletter and keep looking at this blog to learn more about the good work that LVA is doing. And be proud that you are part of the solution to DC's high illiteracy rate.
KOYA M. BAKARE JOINS LVA AS VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
by Literacy Volunteers and Advocates on 03/04/13When Koya M. Bakare started tutoring for LVA last year, she discovered the tutoring relationship extends beyond the lesson plan. It is also a commitment to respect and trust. "Tutors and learners have expressed how the relationship is simply more than simply tutoring. It can become a friendship."
In Koya's case, she identifies that she is not just a tutor. "As a tutor, I gain insight into experiences that would not have been possible without the adult learner." She believes volunteers can expect to learn from the adult learner as well. "It is mutually beneficial because it is not only an exchange of literacy competency skills, but also of life lessons."
Now, as our new volunteer coordinator, Koya is intent on igniting greater engagement by LVA's tutors. Tutors can play a very important role in helping learners. "One-on-one Tutoring is an essential step," she says, "that enables LVA's learners to reach their goals."
Koya expresses hope that she can develop ways to create more opportunities for LVA tutors. "I want Tutors to know that we are here to assist them, so a stronger relationship will be forged in order for that to be accomplished," she says.
Given her diverse portfolio, she should be able to do it.
A native of SE DC and proud 1991 graduate of H.D. Woodson High School, Koya attended Elizabeth City State University, a Historically Black College and University located in North Carolina, majoring in English Literature with a focus on speech pathology. She holds a Master's degree in Business Administration, and is now completing a doctorate from Walden University in business administration specializing in social impact management and accounting.
After working a few years at Gallaudet University and then spending eleven years at the American Bankers Association, Koya possesses not just organization skills but the ability to work with populations of different needs.
Koya, her husband, and their children live in Silver Spring, MD.
