Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Literacy Banquet Held

The volunteers in SWADC, Literacy were, l-r, back row: Vera Austin, Mae Helen Hamilton, Mayor Howard Taylor and Jeanie Taylor; front row: Mary Beck, Mary Goodwin and Tammy Glass.

The paraticipants in SWADC, Literacy were, l-r, back row: Rhonda Farrah, Martha Morrison, Lloyd Patton and John Hopson; front row: Barbara Dowling, Deborah Jones and Sharon Woodley.

A year of record accomplishments was celebrated by volunteers, participants and the staff of Southwest Arkansas Development Council's Literary Program in Nevada County.

The appreciation banquet was hosted on June 12 at the SWADC, Senior Citizens Center in Prescott.

Among the notable achievements this program year includes the addition of internet services, e-mail capability and new tutoring software.

Two more computer work stations were set up in the local tutoring room. Approximently seven students have used these computers logging approximently 60 hours of computerized skills practice for basic math, word processing (writing and spelling) and letter/number recognition as well as recall, reasoning, critical thinking and more.

The annual spelling bee broke records with 13 teams, more supporters and better attendance. Coordination and collaboration with other service providers allowed the program to provide safe, clean and accessible tutoring sites in numerous areas of the community. A new area of interest, Family Reading, was introduced with the support of a grant from Lauach Literacy International and its publisher, New Readers Press.

Another new area of interest introduced this year was `Lunch Break Math' for small group instruction af basic skills.

The Advisory-Planning Committee gained 18 members. Enrollment, including evaluations and counseling, touched the lives of approximently 15 adults this year. These adults and their volunteer tutors shared approximently 350 hours of instructional tutoring time. There were seven active tutors this program year.

All enrolled students, volunteer tutors and volunteer committee members received a certificate of appreciation and accomplishment, along with a key chain to commemorate the year and to stress that, "Our Program is Special Thanks to You."

SWADC, Literacy Program is open to all adults who want to improve reading, writing, math and life skills in order to seek higher education or an improved lifestyle.

The Literacy office is located upstairs in the Senior Citizens building at East Third and Vine Streets in Prescott. Teri Hughes is the Literacy outreach worker. You can reach SWADC Literary Program to volunteer or ask questions about enrollment by calling 887-5536.