ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - One in six adults in Allen County reads at a 3rd grade level or lower, and these numbers haven't really changed in years. The Northwest Ohio Literacy Council and Lima City Schools want to change that statistic.
Reading is something anyone can do, and we as a community need to de-stigmatize the issue of adult literacy.
This week is Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith presented them with a proclamation encouraging individuals struggling with basic academic skills to take advantage of the services offered by these two programs. Reading is something anyone can do, and we as a community need to de-stigmatize the issue of adult literacy.
"Just because you can't read, yes, yes, you're not happy with it; you're not proud of it. But that can be changed. And if we can get that message out to the adults, their families, the pastors, the labor unions, the employers that deal with adults every day. And, say, look, Bob, you can get some help. Come to the Literacy Council; come to the Lima Adult Learning Center. You can make a difference in yourself and your family," said Ken Blanchard, director of the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council.
Assistance from both Lima Senior and the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council is free of charge to those wanting to learn how to read.
"This is the first year that Lima City Schools has been awarded that grant for the ESOL program, English Speakers of Other Languages. This is for the adults, and we will be having small classes. We are also in collaboration with the Learning Center, who is also having tutoring too. So they can come to classes and they can still get their one-on-one private tutoring," said Laura Ball, ASPIRE coordinator for Lima City Schools.
"English Speakers of Other Languages" program is funded through state and federal grants. Assistance from both Lima Senior and the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council is free of charge to those wanting to learn how to read.
