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Mission Statement: to promote a literate community by providing reading and writing instructions to illiterate and functionally illiterate people of any age and to provide instruction to second language learners to speak, read and write Board of Directors Wanda Dixon, Chairperson Fair Arial, Buddy Clark, Bobby Gary, Dr. Carolyn Ham Marilyn Kohn, Julie McIntyre Joan Reconnu, Paula Scarborough, Doris Wilhite, Hope Robertson., Director

SPOTLIGHT MRS. JOAN RECONNU VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR!!

Mrs. Joan Reconnu is KCLA Volunteer of the year, She has been active in Literacy in many ways. Currently, she is an enthusiastic member of the Read Aloud, Kershaw County team. The team plans monthly visits to the After School program at Trinity apartments. There are 4 others who will participate. Joan has a long time interest in teaching English as a Second LanAbove: Hope Robertson, Joan Reconnu, guage. (ESL) Under her leadership Wanda Dixon many people, mostly Hispanic are learning to speak English. English can be a confusing language even for native speakers! As with other programs with which KCLA is associated, volunteers are trained periodically to teach English as a Second Language. Joan is the trainer for these classes. When asked how many ESL tutors she has trained, she responded, About 80, but unfortunately not all of them stayed with the program. It happens that way, doesnt it! We asked her how she got interested in literacy. She says she took a class at Ridgecrest Southern Baptist Camp. She was hooked! She began to teach people to read. About 30 years ago, she took another class, this time, about teaching English to non-English-speaking people. She has been teaching a class at ATEC for several years. There are other classes around town that she teaches of oversees. Since about 1985, she has been training second language tutors. Presently, she is teaching an ESL class for 10 people.

KCLA 2011

TBA ESL Workshop August 08 Board Meeting September Literacy Month 12 Board Meeting October TBA Spelling Bee 10 Board Meeting November 14 Annual Board Meeting December 12 Board Meeting

T H E L I B R A RY

IS

FOR

K I D S , T O O ! . One World, Many Stories

Russia: Peter and the Wolf, Mondrian Style Painting. Soaring Towers and Lets Eat. Call your local library for times/topics. Pick up the folder about the Summer Reading Club. Children from 011 can be registered any time from now to August 7. What a great way to giv kids a leg up on reading!

Summer 2011, JuneAugust Ongoing Childrens Storytimes: Get Set to Read ages 3-4. Ready to read, ages 5-8 Mother Goose on the Loose, ages 0-2 Programming at 4:00 p.m. for children, ages 612.. Titles are Tourist Tiles, Tea Time, Game Time, America the Beautiful. What is a Cartouche, Moving On to Mexico, 1

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KCL A

T U T O R S A R O U N D T OW N
S

JULY 2011
M T W T F S

Our tutors are busy and active with several other agencies. There are many things that can be done to make reading a part of individual success. Simply reading aloud to children is a teaching opportunity. In homes where adults dont read, books are usually not found? We are collecting books to share with children to be their very own! Below are some of the Agencies and other entities with whom we are active: ATEC - Adult Education Program KC Public Library Local KC Elementary Schools KC School District Lyttleton Street UMC Lyttleton Learning Place Camden First UMC CDC After School & Summer Program KC Health Resource Center/Safe Kids Baptist Association ESL program KC endowment United Way KC partner agency

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Fun with numbers

This year, July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. Arent you glad you didnt miss it! Wish List You can help by making in-kind gifts! Call 803-669 - 0019 to donate. Computer for Office (desktop or laptop) Flat Screen Computer Monitor Copy paper Pencils, Pens Legal pads Index cards Pocket folders Three ring binders Adult reading books and workbooks (from, New Readers Press. Please call office for more information). General office supplies (Stamps, Labels, etc.) Binder clips Mini dry-erase message board Easy children's books like new --(not chapter books)

FROM

THE

DIRECTORS DESK~

THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD

We often hear about the power of the written word its not just a sound or a symbol. Words give us strength and power to express, communicate, visualize and create. I cannot imagine the struggle to survive in a world without knowing how to read. I certainly cannot imagine how powerless, sad and anxious I would be in that world. On a daily basis, many adults in Kershaw County fake their way through everyday tasks without reading. They hide their illiteracy secret from everyone often for decades They pretend to forget their glasses, and say that they were out of town or too busy to open the mail asking someone else to do it for them. To be illiterate is to be unsafe, uncomfortable and unprotected. For the illiterate, despair and defeat serve as a daily fare. Can we truly relate to the silent humiliation, the quiet desperation that cant be expressed or the hundreds of ways that those who cannot read struggle in shame to keep their secret? The Kershaw County Literacy Association is here to help, we cannot do it alone though, we need your support now to help residents of Kershaw County who have lost their jobs and are waiting for a chance to learn how to read. I hope you can find it in your heart to make a donation, volunteer, or support our organization by spreading the word to your friends, colleagues and family members. Sincerely,

Hope Robertson
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NO TE F RO M T HE

CHAIR

Summer brings to my mind a summer reading list and the search for just the right books to pack for vacation, books that are so filled with intrigue that I wouldnt be able to put them down until Ive reached the end. Then I think of the many adults in our society who cannot read and comprehend on a basic level much less enjoy a good novel, and it makes me sad. According to an article in MIT Press by M. J. Adams, Illiteracy has staggering effects on society. Illiterate adults make up 75% of the unemployed, 33% of mothers receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children, and 60% of prison inmates.

As these statistics indirecruit more adults who cate, reading has a direct need to learn to read or association with success to read better and more in ones life and with the adults who are willing to success of a society as a tutor. This summer we whole. Illiteracy affects us will work with local afterall. school programs Illiterate adults through our Read Our volunteers at make up 75% of Aloud program to the Kershaw the unemployed, excite children County Literacy 33% of mothers about books and Association receiving Aid to help to encourage (KCLA) know the Families with them become lifeimpact of illiter- Dependent Chil- long readers. Redren, and 60% acy and thats search shows that why they give so of prison inif a child is not much of their reading on grade mates. time and talent. level at the end of They want to lower the the 3rdh grade, the statistics of illiteracy in chance of graduating Kershaw County and imfrom high school is prove the chances for a greatly reduced. successful society. There is a lot of work to Our Board continues to be done. If you are not search for new ways to already a volunteer for

KCLA, please consider becoming a tutor of adults, a reader to children, or a Board member. You can make a difference in the success of our society. Thank you for your support. Happy summer reading! Regards,

Wanda J. Dixon, Chair Kershaw County Literacy Association Board

A CHILDS EYE VIEW

Six-year-old Tina was a big success. She graduated from kindergarten! She came running to her grandmother, proudly waving her diploma. Grandma, you dont have to worry anymore! Ive graduated and Im ready to go to work. Ill take care of you! Well have plenty of money! The reply was that she has 12 more years to go. But twelve years and a high school diploma will, likely only be a start. To have the well-paying job that this child visualizes, she will likely need some sort of continuing education a technical school or college. As many people are learning now, even a good education doesn't necessarily open the door to the CEOs office. However, this child has a good start. Her mother and grandmother were present for her big day. And they supported her during the year. Odds are that they will continue to encourage her as she moves through the next 12 years And guess what! If she wants to do anything even to graduate from

A note from the editor

high school she will have to read. Even in this regard, she has a good basis for learning. I was a bit shocked to hear the term Struggling Older Reader defined. Im thinking twenty or thirty-yearold. This is not the case.

Our Grantors:
United Way of Kershaw County Target KC Endowment Upton Foundation Camden Junior Welfare League

The Struggling Older Reader is 10 years old.

Why does that surprise me! We have known all along that the kid who gets through third grade without strong reading ability is likely to miss the boat.

Kershaw county Literacy Association PO Box 1484 Camden SC 29021 E-mail: hope_kclit@truvista.net

We Believe

That the ability to read, write, perform math, and use technology is a basic human right That everyone, from children to adults in every part of the world, has the right to learn these skills and to have access to programs that make it possible for them to acquire those skills

ITS IN THE BOOK! ~

aliterate aliterate ( ay litt r t) Somebody unwilling to Read somebody who, though usually able to read, is completely uninterested in reading or literature. Aliteracy aliteracy (noun)[ay litt r see] See a lit er ate (adjective) [ylit r t] 4 The verb will implies an individuals willwill will ingness to do something. Three different words: can and will: The word can implies ability to do something. The word may implies permission to do may may something.

That education is a lifelong pursuit That literacy skills are key to reducing poverty, crime, poor health, high health care costs, human rights abuse, and increasing the literacy of children

Read any good books, lately?