Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Literacy Opportunities Expanded

A new way of providing literacy services in this area is on the horizon.

Southwest Arkansas Development Council (SWADC), Inc. Literacy Program, Prescott Elementary School and Henderson State University have joined in partnership to promote educational opportunities for volunteer tutors, young students enrolled at Prescott Elementary and the adults enrolled in the literacy program.

This fall will mark the beginning of a parnership which allows HSU college students to be trained and certified as literacy tutors. These volunteers will teach basic skills while gaining valuable experience preparing to work in their chosen career field.

College credit will be given to these partners who enlist to tutor locally.

Dr. Ana Caldwell, assistant professor of elementary education at Henderson State Unviersity in Arkadelphia, said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for Henderson's education majors to not only gain valuable hands on experience, but also to help the community."

Howard Austin, principal of Prescott Elementary School, said that HSU volunteers will be a three-fold program for Prescott Elementary School, because of the following reasons:

1. It will enable college students to experience the real world of working with and teaching students to read.

2. It will help elementary students in grades one through four who need just a little extra help in reading to be better readers.

3. It should enable students to do well in reading on the state testing progarm.

Using the statement, "It takes a whole village to educate a child," this pilot program demonstrates how higher education and the public schools can work together using our available resoures to help educate the children.

"Prescott Elementary School is proud of HSU for helping us with this program," Austin said.

"Southwest Arkansas Development Council Literary Program is looking forward to working with HSU volunteers and Prescott Elementary," Teri Hughes, SWADC Literacy Outreach worker, said. "We will strive to answer some of the educational needs of citizens of this area.

"It is a great honor to be able to work in this partnership and provide this quality of tutoring assistance free of charge to all adults who want to improve their basic skills," she said.

Adults need to register now for subjects offered this fall with the new HSU partnership tutors.

These include Reading and Writing; Occupational Reading Skills; Basic Math and Math for the Workplace; Family Reading (includes reading skills for adults and children); The World of Word and Job Readiness; Health and Well Being Food; Fitness and Nutrition; and Simple Computer operation and terms.

Anyone interested in enrolling as a student in the SWADC Literacy Program needs to call Hughes at 870-887-5536, Monday, Wednesday or Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Some class times will be offered during the weedkay, afternoons nad occassionally, Saturdays. Final class dates will be determined by the adult enrollment response.

Individual, private tutoring is also available with the new HSU partnership tutors.

SWADC Literacy Program is still accepting volunteers from the community who want to train to tutor. Volunteer training and certification is provided free of charge at least four times per year. Call to volunteer in your area.

SWADC is also accepting volunteers to join the advisory and planning committees who help shape the future of literacy services provided throughout the year. Find out where you fit in.