Tackling Literacy One Person at a Time
By Sandie Parrott

Did you know that in 2007, 53% of Lapeer students had a 12th grade education or higher, but read at or below an eighth grade level (Family Literacy). Double digit drop out rates in 2005 for Mt. Morris (21.64), Flint (14.49) and Beecher (11.16) are the highest rates since 1996 (Genesee County School District Dropout Rate Ten-Year Summary, page 50). As the education level of the parent improves, so does their children’s success in school and 86 percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems, (Family Literacy).

What is literacy anyway? “The ability to read, to write, to perform math computations, to understand the written word, to speak in one’s native language or in the language of one’s adopted homeland,” according to David C. Harvey, President and CEO of ProLiteracy Worldwide.

What can be done about these shocking statistics that keep getting worse? One of the answers is literacy programs, mostly free to the student, which tackle reading problems in adults and children on a one-on-one basis.

Family Literacy Center in Lapeer uses the motto, “Literacy is for life” to support their many services to increase the quality of life and emphasize that literacy touches the lives of everyone including adult students, English as a Second Language (ESL) students and area families. According to Mary Shelton-Wiese, Executive Director of the center, “We offer help with reading, writing, spelling, speaking, basic math and English speaking skills, whatever specific area the student needs.”

Parents and Children Together (PACT) is a Family Literacy program, which brings the expertise of the program to schools and events to teach parents or caregivers how to improve their children’s reading skills and provides free books to take home. This isn’t a lecture; it is hands on activities making reading fun using games, drawing, puzzles and songs. It also encourages parents to consistently read with their children.

Karmen Wilson, Family Program Coordinator at the Family Literacy Center adds, “Model reading in the home by always having a newspaper, magazine or book lying around. Read little snippets of information to them as you find interesting things to share. For young children, sing or say the alphabet with them while drawing the letters. Talk about the sounds the letters make.”

Volunteers are always needed to reach and teach one-to-one (as Shelton-Wiese calls it) tutoring programs for adults and ESL students. Tutors don’t need to be teachers, just helpful dependable people that know how to read, write and speak English fluently. Classes consist of fourteen interesting hours with lots of help from experienced tutors. If you have just two hours a week, this is a very rewarding activity. For example six students became citizens in the past three years. Helping immigrants learn about our fine country and obtaining citizenship helps solve the immigration issue one person at a time.

To inquire about volunteer classes or the literacy programs, call 810-664-2737 or check their website at www.readlapeer.org. If you cannot volunteer, donations of time, books or office supplies are appreciated.

The Flint Public Library has several appealing programs for increasing literacy in children, teens and adults. One example is called Tell a Tail, where children sit and read to a dog (from Therapy Dogs International). Dogs are always with a handler and children read to them on-on-one. Janet Trosino, Manager of Branch, Children’s and Outreach Services, enthused, “Some children are afraid of dogs, but they get used to them. No one corrects the child; there is no judgment of their reading ability and it gives them confidence.”

The library also has a new reader book collection. These are written for the interests of adults that are new to reading and some include tapes for listening and read-along. There are also ESL books and resources for tutors. For information on literacy programs or books call 810-232-7111.

ArtReach is a program at the Flint Institute of arts that connects art to the current curriculum of children’s classes. The idea is to interest children in themes such as animals, weather, history or places that can encourage students through visual expression to want to read or learn more about the subject. Programs are tailored to the class by the museum educator in conjunction with the teacher. To find out more, call 810-234-1695.

The N.E.W. (used to stand for North End Women) Life Adult Literacy Program is open to men and women ages eighteen and up and is located at St. Luke Catholic Church in Flint. The church is scheduled to close, but this important center will remain open. For more information on this program or to volunteer, Call Sister Janice at 810-239-8710. The need for the program was noticed from their street ministry that distributes clothing, other programs with many single women raising children and the high drop out rate in Flint.

Volunteers are from Flint and also surrounding communities, but they need many more. Tutor sessions of two hours each are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and they plan to add Fridays. The program began in October of 2007 and there are already 18 students and 10 volunteers. Subjects are basically the same as Family Literacy, with an additional emphasis on getting a GED (General Educational Development) which is considered equal to a high school diploma.
One of motivators heard often that parents site for entering the program according to Sister Janice Popilek, Program Director and Tutor, “You didn’t get a high school diploma, so why should I?”

Sister Janice also mentions the reward of seeing smiles on people’s faces when they learn to read. One learner is 69 years-old, so it is never too late. Sister Janice states that, “Reading is more than just reading words, but to be able to close your eyes and picture what you read in your mind.”