[Sabeswest] Record Crowd Attends "Adult Literacy Awareness Day"

[Michele Sedor]

posted on behalf of Ernest Best, Mass AAL Executive Director....

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Thank you to all that have participated in the highly successful "Adult Literacy Awareness Day" at the Massachusetts State House.  The turnout for the State House event on Thursday, March 22nd was no less than spectacular.  Adult learners and practitioners representing several cities and towns from around the state were in attendance.

 

Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts (LVM) Executive Director, one of the outstanding speakers at the event, Roberta Soolman stated that, "This is the most phenomenal gathering on behalf of adult education that I have ever seen."  

 

Upon introduction, the entire crowd gave State Representative, Daniel Bosley, the champion for adult literacy at the Massachusetts State House a standing ovation, showing their true appreciation. 

 

Elected officials, including the legislative sponsor for "Adult Literacy Awareness Day," State Senator Dianne Wilkerson said, "This is the largest one day lobbying effort that lawmakers have seen in a long time."


 

Correction

Crowd estimates in the Springfield Republican newspaper and the State House News were much too low at (500) and (800) respectively.

 

In the Gardner Auditorium, we reached capacity at (750) and a little more than that were there in attendance just before State House security told me that there were another (300) - (400) people at the security check point waiting to get in.  A decision was made to move the crowd from the Gardner Auditorium to a second floor function room, the Hall of Flags, to accommodate the crowd.  

 

After the Gardner Auditorium crowd moved to the Hall of Flags, the extra (300) plus completed the security check and made it to the Hall of Flags as well, but they all did not fit into the function room and had to stand in the hallways.  Some of the elected officials' staff, MassAAL volunteers and I checked back at the security checkpoint just in case others may arrive, and we were told that an additional (300) plus had arrived to attend the "Adult Literacy Awareness Day" event as well.  They also passed through the security checkpoint and most went directly to visit with their senators and reps. since they could not get into the Hall of Flags either.  We estimated the total crowd by then to be at (1500) plus.  

 

Summary

We were already nearly at (800) in the Gardner Auditorium before State House Security notified us of the additional (300 -400) people that were waiting upstairs at the security checkpoint at the main entrance.  That put us at approximately (1100 -1200) people, and after that an additional (300) plus arrived, putting the crowd number at about (1500) plus.  

 

At the event there was a positive spirit in the air among adult learners, the likes I've never seen.  Reports are that many adult learners spent much of the afternoon visiting with elected officials and touring the State House.  Many were there for the first time.

 

Thank you again to the adult literacy community for your support and for getting the word out for what turned out to be the biggest event for adult literacy ever in the state of Massachusetts!

 

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Ernest Best, Executive Director

Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy @

World Education

44 Farnsworth Street

Boston, MA 02210-1211

(617) 482-9485

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