NLA Info:Literacy Month

[Sue Barton]

This month Virginia's Governor declared November Literacy Month.  We 
were encouraged by the state office to involve our local legislators in 
our adult ed. activities and classrooms.

We tried many avenues to reach our busy local legislators and the 
program that we finally settled on was one carried out by the students.  
Two classes combined to celebrate literacy month and be honored by the 
teachers, administrators and fellow students.  Students notified the 
local newspaper of the celebration.  Discussions and interviews 
dominated the event where students learned and shared how important 
literacy is in all our lives.  They invited the local Literacy 
Volunteers of America chapter coordinator to speak about student 
successes and struggles in their organization.  One such success is the 
formation, initiated by one of the students, of a student support group.

Even though the legislators were unavailable to attend our classes, they 
will be able to read the article from the newspaper about our event.  
Human interest articles are a powerful vehicle for public policy support 
and change, especially when the VOICES are the students themselves.

Sue C. Barton
AffilE8ted
sbarton at i-plus.net
Radford, VA 24141