[NLA] A 9-11 Commemorative

[Thomas Sticht]

The Heros of the Literacy Assistance Center of New York

There are heros of September 11, 2001 who have largely gone unrecognized.
These are the thousands of adult literacy educators throughout the nation
who struggled to work with adult students who, like the 3,000 or so
victims of the World Trade Center atrocity, represent over 100
nationalities. Internet lists seemed to hum with the concerns of adult
educators about how to face their classes and this crisis in a humane
manner that would maintain the dignity of all those involved – the
victims, their loved ones, the communities of adult learners, and their
fellow Americans.

On April 12, 2002, just seven months after the terrorist attack in New
York City, I met with some very special heros of this great tragedy. I
went to NYC to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Adult Education and
Literacy System (AELS) of the United States. I was there at the invitation
of the leadership of the Literacy Assistance Center (LAC). But as I walked
from the hotel down Broadway toward the offices of the LAC, I was struck
by the fact that the LAC offices were so close to Ground Zero
just some
six blocks away.

When I got to the LAC offices, I met Elyse Randolph, Director of the LAC,
Ira Yankwitt, Director of Adult Literacy Services, and several other LAC
staff. In conversations I learned that on September 11, 2001 they were at
work when the Trade Towers were destroyed. Their offices were caught in
the black clouds of paper, smoke, dirt and debris. Communications went
out. Confusion, fear, uncertainty gripped those caught in the office for
hours. There was no way of knowing what might happen next.

But these adult educators helped each other survive the effects of being
caught in the blast zone, they got through the immediate crisis, and
within just a few days they were busy at work helping adult educators
throughout the New York area and elsewhere work through the disastrous
event with their students. They still work at this, too. Today, and this
September 11th and afterwards.

In my mind, the adult educators of the Literacy Assistance Center in New
York take their place along side the police, fire fighters, steelworkers,
ambulance drivers,  and others who sought to bring comfort to New Yorkers
and the thousands of others touched by this insane tragedy anywhere in the
nation or world.

Adult educators everywhere can be proud of the heroic stance taken by our
fellow educators. We can all hope we would respond to the disaster of
terrorism with the courage and devotion to duty as did our colleagues at
the LAC.

But I hope we never have to.

Peace.

Tom Sticht




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