Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Shine a Light Gala Generates Resources that Support Tutors

By Jennifer Nixon

LITTLE ROCK — Even though Oliver Lindsey graduated from high school, he never really learned how to read.

“A lot of people skip through school. That happened to me. I skipped, skipped, skipped.”

It’s just the sort of situation that shocks Bridget Farris.

“It makes you wonder how you get through school and get a high school diploma and can’t read,” Farris says. “There’s a big issue there that we allow that to happen.”

Lindsey wanted to learn to read. Farris wanted to help address a significant problem in the community. Their related interests led them to Literacy Action of Central Arkansas and, together, as student and tutor, they’re slowly but surely working to make a difference.

Literacy Action of Central Arkansas is an adult literacy program that teaches basic literacy as well as English as a second language and operates primarily through volunteer tutors.

The organization provides training for the tutors, tests the students to determine their reading level and best course of study, and then pairs people.

To help keep things running, Literacy Action hosts its annual Shine a Light on Literacy, a fundraiser and auction at the Governor’s Mansion.

This year’s event will include music by the Marchese-Hendricks Project and an auction of artworks inspired by literature and literacy.

The money raised at Shine a Light on Literacy is very important to keep the organization going, Farris says.

“The books are expensive, the materials, the training. Most of it’s volunteers but not all of it. They need to raise money.”

Executive Director Neil Jones says the program has about 100 tutors including Farris, who got involved as a volunteer tutor a year ago after taking the one-day training course.

“The people who are teaching [the course] are really good at cramming a lot of information into a one-day thing,” she says. “They’re for the most part retired teachers.”

For Farris, the training was particularly helpful.

“The biggest thing for me was I’m not a teacher. I’m an [information technology] person. I was really worried about my ability to teach the curriculum. So they explained the curriculum and how it works and the resources that are available to you and make that not as scary.”

She goes on to say, “I started out requesting English as a second language. I speak some Spanish. But decided to do this instead.”

“This” was teaching a native English speaker, like Lindsey, to read.

As for Lindsey, a New Orleans native who moved to Arkansas after Hurricane Katrina, “I wanted to make a change for my life. I wanted something better for myself. It’s been a fight for my whole life just trying to learn how to read.”

Lindsey explains, “My grandma raised me and she was sick a lot so I had to go to tutoring programs.”

The tutoring wasn’t successful and, with his grandmother ill and a high teacher to-student classroom ratio, he didn’t have regular help with his homework or classwork.

“I went to school and stuff like that. But I never could really — ain’t nobody know how to teach me.”

As an adult, he thought about tutoring, but “I didn’t know how to go about getting it.”

Then, when he had an evaluation meeting at his job with Arkansas Foodbank Network, his supervisor told Lindsey that he could advance, but needed help with his reading first. After some discussion down the line through the company, they referred him to Literacy Action, where he met Farris.

They’ve been working together a year and both are pleased with his progress.

“It’s been helping me with my job,” Lindsey says. “It’s been helping me with my day-to-day life as far as living, filling out applications, learning how to read signs. I do it most of the time on my own and I’m happy about that.”

The Foodbank has been particularly supportive in his efforts.

“They drive me to tutoring. If I need some help, they’re there to help me, too.”

“They’ve been really great,” Farris agrees. “Anything that promotes him making progress, they’re really supportive.”

Farris points out that this isn’t for everyone. It’s hard work. Farris and Lindsey meet together twice a week, mostly at a Mexican restaurant.

“We both work all day. Then we go do that for an hour and a half. There are some nights one of us is brain dead. We just talk for a while and perk back up a bit. We change up what we’re working on to keep it interesting. It’s hard work.”

And sometimes, she says, the progress seems almost too slow to notice.

“Last night he called me and said, ‘These questions are hard in this book.’ I just showed him the book we started with. And when you look at that book we started with and you look at what we’re working on today, you feel good about the progress. And that encourages you to see how far you’ve come and you keep working hard.”

It’s not only hard work, but a long-term commitment.

A year into their work, Farris points out to Lindsey, “We’re at least a year away from where you’ll be comfortable. To where you could learn more on your own.”

Despite the work, both say it has been extremely rewarding — and fun. They’ve obviously formed a bond and are in this together for the long haul.

Lindsey, particularly, is thrilled with the program and shares his successes with his co-workers.

“I tell them how good I’m doing. I go through all the agencies that come in at the job. I tell them about the program.”

Lindsey and Farris actively try to recruit new tutors through work or church.

And Lindsey hopes that one day, he’ll be able to be one of those tutors.

“More people tutoring, that’s the goal. Help the next person out. I’m going to try to tutor someone myself once I’m done, pass on the legacy.”

Shine a Light on Literacy will be at 6 p.m. March 8 in the Governor’s Mansion’s Grand Hall. Tickets are $45, $75 per pair. Call (501) 372-7323 or visit literacylittlerock.org.

THE REAL WORLD KEEPS SCORE

By Jim Davidson

Literacy is perhaps our most critical skill. It can mean the difference between a life well lived and a life of hardship. Unfortunately, more than 93 million Americans read at or below a basic level –with 30,000 in Central Arkansas alone struggling with the burden of illiteracy every day. These words were taken from a brochure I picked up recently when Kelly Bullington, local representative for Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, spoke to our Lions Club. Kelly, a graduate of Kansas State University, was articulate and very knowledgeable but the thing that stood out the most, at lease for me, was the obvious passion she had for her work and helping illiterate adults learn to read. That’s what I like to see. If a person is not passionate about what they do, how can they expect others to help or support them, which was the primary reason she was there.

As Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project, it was only natural that I would have a sincere interest in the work she is doing. We chatted after the meeting and both agreed that it would be great if our bookcase project could put them out of business. We both know this will never happen. There were a couple of items in her handout literature that I consider as crucial to a child’s future success, that I would like to pass along. First, a mother’s reading skill is the greatest determinant of her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors such as neighborhood and family income. (U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, 2010) And secondly, children whose parents are involved with them in family literacy activities score 10 points higher on standardized tests. (National Center for Family Literacy, 2006)

Over the past several weeks I have been thinking about writing a column with the theme, ‘The real world keeps score” and Kelly’s talk really reinforced just how true this is. While there are many reasons why we have 93 million adults in America today who read below a basic level, this number could be much lower had literacy been a top priority in the homes of these adults, back when they were children. We have millions of children in America today who don’t like to read and as a result don’t read well. Sadly, many will wind up as a statistic, and someone who missed out on most of the great opportunities that come their way.

What I going to say next is not meant to be a panacea, but there is a question that millions of children, who become adults, never ask themselves when they are involved in countless activities they are passionate about. I have two beautiful granddaughters. One is a beauty queen, having been in the Miss Arkansas Pageant this past year and the other is a fantastic dancer, very popular, and it would seem that she has a bright future. Because they are still both very young, only time will reveal how successful they become in the real world, where it really counts because, if they live to the normal life expectancy, they still have over 50 years before them.

Here is that question. Can I make a living at it? The real world keeps score and many young people never think about this until they find themselves on a dead end street. After school and college they have no real goals, no direction and in many cases, no job or career path. While money is certainly not everything, it is important in today’s society. In many cases these young people will take any job just to get by but they miss the joy of personal success. The question “Can I Make a Living At It” should be at least a part of our thinking when we are having fun and spending time doing things we love to do.

Neal and Tammy Harrington

Tammy Harrington received a bachelor of fine arts, with an emphasis in Printmaking and Graphic Design from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota.  She obtained a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Printmaking from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.  Harrington is currently employed as an Associate Professor of Art at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ar.

Tammy Harrington has shown in several regional and national exhibitions:  Originals! Arkansas Women Artists, Small Works on Paper 2002, Prints U.S.A. at the Springfield Art Museum, ana 29 at the Holter Museum of Art, The Third Minnesota National Print Biennial, Sixty Square Inches National Small Print Exhibition at Purdue University Galleries, 29th Annual Juried Competition at the Masur Museum of Art, and the Delta National Small Prints exhibition at Arkansas State University.  Her work was also included in the 2009 Arkansas Artists Engagement Calendar, sponsored by the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association, Amity Art Foundation in Woodbridge, CT; The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA; Dennis Klein Purchase Collection at the University of South Dakota, and the White House Ornament Collection in Washington, D.C.
Tammy Harrington’s art donations to Shine a Light use the Chinese paper cut technique.  The paper cut is a traditional Chinese folk art technique that is utilized iconography, superstition, and decorative in its expression.

by Tammy Harrington

In Tammy’s words…
“I enjoy participating in Shine a Light on Literacy.  This opportunity allows me to use my artistic abilities as a community service and volunteer opportunity.  We all have contributions that we can make for the betterment of society.  Plus, the reception at the Governor’s Mansion is always a great way to spend a night.”

Neal Harrington, Tammy’s spouse of fourteen years, was born and raised in South Dakota.

He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting from the University of South Dakota, and a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis on printmaking from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.

Neal is currently an Associate Professor and Gallery Director at Arkansas Tech University.

by Neal Harrington

His honors and awards include a cash award and Friends of the Springfield Art Museum Purchase Award at the MOAK: 4 State Regional Exhibition, Second Place Award at the Annual Juried Art Competition at the South Arkansas Arts Center, and the Purchase Award for Small Works on Paper at the Arkansas Arts Council.

Neal Harrington’s work has been included in various National and Regional Exhibitions,

Neil Jones

As Literacy Action enters 25 years of serving Central Arkansas, our grass roots solution to solving the adult low literacy problem is pressing many people to get involved.  January was an outstanding month for engaging new tutors. We have trained 20 new literacy tutors and we had 10 prospective tutors to attend Literacy Action’s Tutoring Tales event in Conway. A common thread among our new literacy advocates is the desire to expose new opportunities to low literate adults.  One new tutor explained that it was hard for her to wrap her mind around the magnitude of the adult literacy problem, but at the very least, she said, “I can volunteer my time to teach a person to read.”

Over the last few weeks, we have seen how advocates for adult literacy are helping with the cause; a group of ladies from the Seventh Day Adventist Church helped us organize a mid-week tutor training workshop, local artist Neal and Tammy Harrington are contributing their art to Shine a Light on Literacy event, and local community groups recently pitched in to collect books that can be used with adult readers who are building their literacy skills.

With low literacy at the center of so many of the economic and social issues, now is a good time to think about how you can help. Take the time to think about the doors that have been opened to you through literacy. For most of us it is difficult for us to imagine a life without being able to use our reading skills to navigate though our daily routines. But for over 30,000 adults in Central Arkansas, the inability to read stands in the way getting a good job, living a healthy life and providing a home environment where their children have the opportunity to gain the skills they will need to succeed in school.

It is time for Action. Here are ten things that will make a difference. I think there is something in the list for everyone.

1. Tutor an adult literacy student.
2. Contribute your old books that can be used with new adult readers.
3. Invite a friend to attend the 2012 Shine a Light on Literacy.
4. Volunteer to help train new tutors once per month.
5. Attend a tutor gathering and learn about the rewards of literacy tutoring first hand.
6. Meet with a new English-speaking student one hour a week to practice English conversation.
7. Sponsor Literacy Action at your organization’s volunteer fair.
8. Volunteer with the Literacy Action office.
9. Write an article or take photos for the newsletter or blog. We have a lot of great stories that need to be told.
10. Tell a friend about the adult literacy problem facing our community and pass this list to them.

Do you have an idea that’s not on my list? Great! The important thing is to get engaged. Together we can change lives one word at a time.

Neil Jones

The funding of adult education in Arkansas is similar today as the level of twenty years ago according to Bill Walker, director of the state’s Department of Career Education, quoted in a recent article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The Democrat Gazette reported that a combination of stagnant funding and new requirements on the Arkansas adult education system might cause changes that would result in less access to services for those who need critical literacy skills the most. It appears that our public officials are trying to figure out how they can make do with less, but it may be a good opportunity to explore our overall investment in the future of adult education in Arkansas.

The funding dilemma comes at a time when we need to be rethinking how we should address the complex issue of how to improve literacy skills of the nation’s adults in order to successfully compete in a global connected economy. According to the National Coalition for Literacy, national and state funding for adult literacy is one-twentieth of higher education. This is a ridiculously low investment considering that 92 million of the adult population in the US reads at only a basic or below basic level. When 43 % of the labor force functions at basic or below basic reading levels, we need to take notice. It seem very unlikely we will be able to meet demand for a skilled work force needed to keep our local communities competitive without addressing the basic literacy skill levels of our current adult population. When you look at the numbers of skilled workers needed over the next twenty years, we simply are not graduating enough workers from high school and higher education to fill the gap. To add to the challenge, even the jobs that traditionally were considered low skilled positions are now requiring higher levels of literacy skills. The business community needs adult workers who are proficient in reading and math, can identify and solve problems, and interact with technology.

Literacy councils who depend on volunteer literacy tutors play an important role in the solution, particularly for adults who do not have access to adult education services or are not a good fit for those programs because their literacy skills are too low. This is not an uncommon situation. At Literacy Action of Central Arkansas, we see adults every week who have a goal to get a G.E.D., but cannot read well enough to participate in Adult Education classroom program. Volunteer tutors work with these individuals one-on-one to improve their skills to a level where they can be successful in a traditional G.E.D. program. For literacy councils in rural Arkansas communities, this may become an issue if local G.E.D. programs are cut. It is critical that these students will continue to have access to programs that are proven to make a profound difference in lives of individuals and families.

Our investment in adult education is something that impacts us all. If nothing else consider that low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion or more each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.  As our public officials consider reallocation of the funding for adult education, the stakes are high. Any less investment or a reduction of services will only cause the overall cost associated with uneducated adult population to rise. Now is a good time to rethink our commitment to adult education

Neil Jones

The House lawmakers recently unveiled a proposal to dramatically scale back federal unemployment insurance. As a part of that proposal, the bill has language that would deny unemployment insurance benefits to individuals who do not have a HS diploma or GED credential unless they are enrolled and making satisfactory progress in classes leading to one.

It is good to see any policy that recognizes the importance of adult literacy and strives to increase access to adult education and family literacy programs in order to improve our nation’s adult literacy rate; this proposal however, does not increase access. Instead, it creates a much greater demand without the significant resources needed to meet it.

This is one more example of policymakers who are disconnected with the facts related to the huge adult literacy problem we are facing in this country. Over 93 million adults in the United States struggle every day with below basic literacy skills. Additionally, our adult education system is grossly inadequate to meet the demand for those adults who are seeking help to gain the literacy skills necessary to gain and maintain employment. This measure would have increased the number of individuals needing services without providing the necessary resources needed to expand and increase programs.

In Central Arkansas there are over 30,000 adults who have below basic literacy skills. Many of these adults have lost their jobs during the recent economic recession and typically do not qualify for GED programs because their literacy skills are too low. They are left to turn to local non-profit volunteer based programs in order to get the needed one-on-one instruction that will hopefully prepare them to enter a community GED program at some time in the future. Literacy Action of Central Arkansas is one of the organizations in our community offering literacy instruction to this population, but unfortunately because of the long waiting list, it may take months to get paired with a literacy tutor. It is hard to imagine how the increased demand of hundreds of new students could be met without additional support.

The lawmakers did correctly identify the relationship between low literacy skills, unemployment and poverty. These are an issue that impacts everyone in our nation. Low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion or more each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment. We need to find innovative ways to improve the literacy skills of the millions of adults who are already in our workforce. Mandating a change to address adult literacy and unemployment may seem like a step in the right direction, but it becomes another failed idea without providing the resources needed to get the job done.

Neil Jones

Last week I had the opportunity to speak with a local civic group about the huge issue of adult illiteracy in our community. Armed with facts and figures, I explained that one out of ten adults in Central Arkansas couldn’t read simple books to their children. We walked through charts that mapped out the fact that adults with low literacy skills can expect to make 50% less over their lifetime compared to peers with high school diploma. When I explained that low health illiteracy cost our nation up to $238 billion a year in excess heath care cost, enough to provide healthcare to most of the uninsured in our country, I started to get their attention. They were impressed by the fact that 70% of the prison population reads at a below basic level At the end of the talk, I answered a few questions, exchanged business cards with the organizers of the meeting, packed up my laptop and projector and headed home after a long day.

On the drive home, I began reflecting on the evening’s talk. I couldn’t help but feel that somehow I had missed the mark. How could I tell a more compelling story? The next morning I found the answer in my e-mail box. As I read a story told by Tamela Anderson about one of her adult students, Luke, I was reminded that statistics tell only part of the story. Behind every fact and figure, there are real people who struggle with reading skills that most of us take for granted. Basic things; like reading a sign, a menu, or even selecting a Mother’s day card. Fortunately there are caring literacy tutors who patiently work with non-readers like Luke. They are changing lives one word at a time. Here is Luke’s story.

“Luke,” by Tamela Anderson

Luke started working in Laubach 1 in 2009. At the time, he says, he couldn’t even read his own mail. “There was no point in even opening it,” he went on, “I just took it to my mom once a week so she could tell me what it said.” Four tutors later, he is about to complete Challenger 3.

After I asked what else had changed since his reading has improved, Luke began to point out routine things that most of us take for granted. The following are just a few:

Reading a menu – “When I went to a restaurant or drive-thru, I would just ask for a hamburger or chicken and hope they didn’t ask which one. Sometimes I could remember things from TV ads but usually I would be stuck asking what choices I had. If they started pointing things out on the menu and there was not a picture, I ended up faking it. That can be bad. I got some big surprises that way. Know I have a choice.”

Reading a sign – “You’d be surprised how often people point out signs when you ask a question. It makes you feel stupid. There are signs everywhere. Street signs, exit signs, even signs in the grocery store and bank. It doesn’t do much good to have somebody tell you which exit to use when you can’t read the sign. I really hated walking into a building and having that big list showing where to go for a certain office. It just makes it worse when you can’t write things down. I used to end up in the wrong line or at the wrong place a lot.”

Reading a package – “Everyone knows what a bag of potato chips looks like but if you can’t read the bag, you might not know what flavor something is. For a long time I bought the same Doritos when I wanted to try a new flavor. There were so many, I just couldn’t tell which one it was. It’s like that with most things at the store. You just get used to what things look like and stick to what you know. It doesn’t give you much variety but you avoid problems. If the company changes the package, too bad. You get what you get and learn all over. I bought some soymilk one time by accident. Yuck!”

Buying a greeting card – “One of the things I hated most was buying a Mother’s Day card. My mom has always been there when I needed her. I just picked one with a nice picture every year. Now I can try to find one that tells her how special she is.”

The next time I spend time looking for that special card for someone, I’ll remember how challenging such a simple thing can be to someone who can’t read.

Neil Jones

One of my mom’s favorite sayings was,“ Good looks can get you only so far in life.” She liked to use the phrase as a way to prod me to do my homework or to push me a little harder to learn a new skill. I always thought it was a little odd, because as a kid or as an adult for that matter, the good looks method of getting ahead was never part of my tool kit. But good looks can make a difference in earning power. Daniel Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas- Austin, recently wrote an article in the New York Times that confirmed my mother’s adage. His research shows that a person with good looks can make as much as 10 to 15% more per year compared to ugly people in similar jobs. The lifetime difference in a typical case is about $230,000.

Average looking adults walk into the Literacy Action office daily seeking help to improve their quality of life. Most are driven to make a change because of their realization that basic literacy skills are necessary to get or retain a good job. It comes as no surprise that education is a powerful economic asset. High school graduates earn 40% more than non-graduates. Recent work by Stephen Reder of Portland State University shows that literacy proficiency at almost any level is correlated with positive economic outcomes. As an individual’s literacy skills improve, they will earn more over time and the economic impact related to lower literacy skills on society is less. For example, on average, an adult who does not complete high school over his or her lifetime will cost the nation about $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes and productivity compared to a high school graduate.

So it seems that mom was right to push education. I expect she knew that I could use the help to make up for what I lacked in the “looks” category. This is just one more proof that my mom was one smart woman.

Neil Jones

If you have been following us on Facebook or Twitter, you may have noticed the buzz around the new AmeriCorps volunteer service positions starting this fall with Literacy Action as part of the Arkansas Reads program. Arkansas Reads is an AmeriCorps program that places 40 service volunteers with literacy councils across the state of Arkansas. Volunteers are engaged in recruiting and training adult learners as well as recruiting and training literacy tutors. On a national scale, AmeriCorps provides opportunities for 85,000 volunteers to serve in local communities. Since 1994, 663,000 AmeriCorps volunteers have given 774 million hours toward local service projects. AmeriCorps has given many young adults the opportunity to participate in community service. The full impact of the programs does not stop at the end of the project because participants frequently continue to make community service a part of their life as they move on to new careers. Older adults can also get involved. Many older adults can bring professional and life skills to the program as they earn educational grants that can be passed on to family members or used to further their own education.

Since I was first introduced to the program, I have been impressed with AmeriCorps philosophy of community service. Individuals participating in the Arkansas Reads program serve about 20 hours per week and receive a modest living allowance plus an educational grant. But the big rewards are from the hands-on experience gained while making a difference in the lives of individuals in need. In our program, we have seen many examples where adult learners simply would not have access to literacy instruction without our AmeriCorps volunteers. Literacy Action’s Tamela Anderson serves in Conway and provides one-on-one tutoring to 5-6 adult students. She tutors her students several times each week from our office located in the Faulkner Country Library where she provides a much-needed service to the community. She receives the huge personal reward of seeing her adult students improve literacy skills that make a lasting impact on their quality of life. Katie Keen is a past AmeriCorps volunteer and has worked as a program coordinator with Literacy Action over the past year. Katie has been responsible for starting several ESL groups in the Little Rock area and will continue her pattern of service when she travels to Bolivia to teach English this fall.

This year we are expanding the number of AmeriCorps volunteers participating in the Arkansas Reads program. We have service opportunities in both Pulaski and Faulkner counties. If you would like to learn more about the program go to the Literacy Action web site or contact Shelly Owens, sowens@literacylittlerock.org.

Neil Jones

Over the last few months we have made a number of frantic calls trying to locate tutors that would be willing to help address the backlog of adults seeking help with their literacy skills. It has been encouraging to hear the response from so many individuals who are concerned about the state of literacy in our community. There is one group in particular that I am very happy to see take the challenge, former literacy tutors who are obviously  driven to help others realize their dreams through literacy. Marion Elliot, Helen Leigh, and Becky White are just three tutors who have taken new students in the last few months. When you hear their story it is easy to see why they are so engaged… Welcome back!

Marion Elliot started tutoring with Literacy Action in 1999. She has had a number of Basic Literacy and English students, each benefiting from their lessons with her. Many of her students have been able to get jobs and job promotions. One of her students became an entrepreneur. Marion said initially he did not have very high self-esteem. She worked on this with him through empowering practices like taking him to register to vote and continuously working to improve his reading. Pretty soon, he was able to start his own business! After taking a short break, Marion has begun tutoring again with Literacy Action. She says she wanted to come back because, “the students need me, and I need them.” She is currently tutoring a Basic Literacy student and enjoying their time together.

Helen Leigh first came to Literacy Action is 2007. She has tutored a variety of students from beginning English speakers to low-level readers; however her best experience tutoring was with a Basic Literacy student with whom she worked   341 hours over 2 years. She says working with this student was enjoyable and a learning experience. The two became close friends. Once the student had gone as far as she could through the Literacy Action program, they decided to end lessons. Helen came back to volunteer again, and has been tutoring a Basic Literacy student.

Becky White began tutoring for Literacy Action as an English instructor in 2008. After working with an English student from the Czech Republic for one year, the student got married and moved out of state. She was assigned another English student from India who had an ultimate goal of passing the U.S. citizenship exam. The two worked tirelessly to get the student ready for the test, which requires a comprehensive understanding of English reading and writing as well as U.S. history. Their hard work paid off as the student eventually passed the citizenship exam! Becky attributes this accomplishment to being patient and listening to students in order to find out what their needs are. Her two new English students from South Korea are very fortunate to have a wonderful and experienced tutor like her.