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

[David Collings]

The message below is from Sandra Robinson.

David C.

-----Original Message-----
From: Sandra Robinson [mailto:sandrarobinson at education.state.vt.us]
Subject: RE: [AAACE-NLA] Re: AAACE-NLA New Orleans

Lou,
Sounds to me like just the sort of project those of us concerned about literacy,
poverty and the situation in New Orleans could take on. I wonder if there is
some way to lend support for a program that would begin just as soon as
possible for evacuees as well as for those who have returned and/or stayed, as
well.

Sandra Robinson
Vermont Adult Education & Literacy


-----Original Message-----
From: aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:aaace-nla-bounces at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of Lou C. Johnson
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 9:50 AM
To: aaace-nla at lists.literacytent.org
Cc: david at collings.com
Subject: [AAACE-NLA] Re: AAACE-NLA New Orleans

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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