Adult Literacy

Outreach efforts are targeted at the thousands of adults in Palm Beach County whose lack of literacy skills makes them unemployed or underemployed. Persons for whom English is a second language are also recruited for English classes that serve the needs of many nationalities in our county.

2009-2010 Program Outcomes:

  • 1,795 Literacy Hotline calls were received.
  • 1,406 adults were connected to literacy programs.
  • 389 volunteers provided with tutoring information.
  • 140 volunteers trained to be adult literacy tutors.
  • 542 sites visited by bilingual outreach assistants.

PROGRAM IMPACT

More than 700 adult learners from 34 sites participated in an Adult Essay Contest. The essay topic was: “If I had one day to change the world, what would I do and why?” Essay participants were honored by guest speaker Tony Plana (fourth from right) at the Literacy Luncheon.

I would like to release a big bomb all over the world. It would be a new type of explosive that released a highly contagious virus. This virus, in a day, would spread everywhere, contaminating everyone, creating a pandemic with no possibility for antibodies or vaccines. This virus would go directly into the heart of people and this would be its mission: “I can give more.” Every day this phrase would enter in the soul of each person. No one would be able to ignore this message. In this way, everyone would have the possibility to begin a new life where love and respect are the dominant forces in the world.

Why would I decide to change the world in this way? I think everyone needs to change. We need to give more, forgive more and love more. We need to live in peace with one another. In this way, the world would enter a new dimension where love and respect would be the most important things in humanity.

Antonio Andreon, student at the Adult Education Center