[AAACE-NLA] Re: AAACE-NLA New Orleans

[David Rosen]

Hello Lou and others,

It definitely makes sense to me that those who have had to leave New  
Orleans should get literacy, basic skills and job training services.  
It also makes sense for the state and federal government to partner  
to provide money for these services.  If you -- or others -- have  
ideas on how to best bring this about, let us know.

David J. Rosen
Adult Literacy Advocate
DJRosen at theworld.com



On Sep 15, 2005, at 9:49 AM, Lou C. Johnson wrote:

> I write to give an "amen" to John's point!
>
> As the Director of what was the largest non local education agency  
> (school district) in New Orleans and a founding member of the  
> Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans I am able to attest  
> firsthand as to the nature of the problem of adult illiteracy John  
> has described. Additionally, I have an idea as to a possible solution.
>
> I am trying to mount a literacy assistance program for the New  
> Orleans area evacuees wherever they have ended up. There was a  
> report on the Tom Joyner program regarding the fact that many of  
> the evacuees were/are too illiterate to complete various forms and  
> related documents required for them to receive assistance.
>
> The Louisiana Dept of Education’s Adult Ed. Division was to  
> allocate some $800,000++ for Adult Ed. Services in the New Orleans  
> area, primarily via the New Orleans Public School’s Adult Ed.  
> Department. Since there is no one in the Greater New Orleans area  
> to serve, those $$$$ should be used to provide services to the  
> evacuees.
>
> Said services could/should be tied to vocational training so as to  
> prepare evacuees to return home and participate in the rebuilding  
> of the City of New Orleans and make a living while doing so. A  
> process that will not start anytime soon, thereby giving the  
> program at least 12 to 18 months to work with folks preparing them  
> for their return home..
>
> My vision is the formation of an alliance between Proliteracy  
> America & the YMCA of Greater New Orleans, who have been partners  
> for nearly 30 years, which establishes a program to provide  
> literacy services for the evacuees.
>
> Peter Waite, of ProLiteracy America, is on board with the concept  
> as are the folks at the “Y”.  The issue is “where would the money  
> come from to support the program?”. I say LA Adult Ed, & FEMA.
>
> If my idea makes sense to you help me to create synergy for the  
> program.
>
> Lou C. Johnson
> --
> Lou C. Johnson, Executive Director
> YMCA Educational Services (YES!)
> 2525 Canal Street
> New Orleans LA 70119
> 504-566-READ(7323)
> 504-568-1938(FAX)
>
> National Faculty-YMCA of the USA
> Member, Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans Board of Directiors
> Member, Louisiana Coalition for Literacy Board of Directors
> Member, South Central Literacy Action Board of Directors
> Member, ProLiteracy Worldwide Board of Directors
>
> Literacy And Justice For All!
>
> "We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress  
> and
> prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough  
> to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and  
> our own."
> --- César E. Chávez
>
> John Comings <comingjo at gse.harvard.edu> wrote:
>
> The following letter appears in today NYTimes:
>
> Literacy in New Orleans
>
> Published: September 15, 2005
>
> To the Editor:
>
> "In Reviving New Orleans, a Challenge of Many Tiers" (news article,  
> Sept.
> 12) describes the large-scale task of rebuilding infrastructure,  
> housing,
> businesses and services.
> The people of New Orleans need help to make them strong enough to  
> overcome
> the cycle of poverty that the storm revealed.
>
> One component must be educational opportunities for adults to  
> improve their
> literacy and math skills, gain a high school credential, and move  
> on to
> postsecondary education or training for skilled, well-paying jobs.
>
> Before the storm, almost 50 percent of the city's working-age  
> adults had
> low literacy and math skills or lacked a high school diploma.  
> Providing
> them with an opportunity to improve themselves is also a big task,  
> but one
> that is just as important as the effort you outlined.
>
> John Comings
> Cambridge, Mass., Sept. 12, 2005
> The writer is director of the National Center for the Study of Adult
> Learning and Literacy, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
>
>
> John Comings, Director
> National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
> Harvard Graduate School of Education
> 7 Appian Way
> Cambridge MA 02138
> (617) 496-0516, voice
> (617) 495-4811, fax
> (617) 335-9839, mobile
> john_comings at harvard.edu
> http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu
>
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