THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504060163
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRIS KIDDER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
Dozens of area residents were invited to the North Carolina Press Club's Literacy Day program last week at College of the Albemarle's Dare County Campus. Nearly 75 people said they would attend, but only 36 turned out.
We have a saying in adult basic education,'' said Dr. Libby Knott, literacy specialist at East Carolina University in Greenville. ``You work with who shows up.''
Knott and Mary Jo Larkin, a tutor trainer with Literacy Volunteers of America in Pitt County, spent the day promoting family reading.
You don't have to read a book word for word to enjoy it with your children, Knott told her audience. But it's important to get books into your children's hands. It's important to make reading together fun.
``This opportunity was great,'' said Larkin, who volunteered Friday for the chance to work directly with adults needing literacy services. ``I saw lights go on for the first time when they realized what they could do.''
In addition to Knott's family reading program, participants attended three other 40-minute workshops: Smart Grocery Shopping, presented by Food Lion; Using the Newspaper by The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star; and Family First Aid by Outer Banks Medical Center.
Representatives from North Carolina Power, the North Carolina Employment Security Commission, Hotline, Dare Literacy Council and COA also provided one-on-one counseling on topics ranging from energy efficiency to GED programs.
The program format was developed by the press club in Dare County two years ago with a grant from the Coors Literacy Foundation through the National Federation of Press Women. A similar grant made this year's program possible.
``We consider this a successful program,'' said Peggy Pond, Washington, N.C., president of the North Carolina Press Club. ``We want to take what we've done here and use it in other parts of the state.''
But this year's turnout was disappointing in light of the hundreds of Dare County residents who read below high school level, organizers said.
At the end of the day, a young woman who attended the program with her husband approached a press club representative.
``My husband has always bragged that he can't read,'' she said. ``This is the first time he's ever acted like maybe he'd be willing to learn. I think he's going to sign up for the class. Thank you.'' by CNB