Dear Friends of Literacy,

As Director of Adult Literacy Action, I would like to take this opportunity to share my vision for literacy with you.

How do I thank all of you for putting so much of your time and talent into sharing my dreams for a literate society?? You are very special. You are America's pioneers. The new frontier we face is a wilderness of illiteracy. Yet, this wilderness is being tamed and cultivated here in Beaver County.

The outstanding support and involvement you give is making a difference. Ours is a special place. As I smile and, because I so dearly appreciate you, I hug you and say "Welcome to Literacy Land," I realize that each of you. . . adult learners. . . tutors. . . staff. . . media friends. . . and community members have made it special here. You've committed yourselves to the role you can play as individuals and as a collective family to strive for a literate society.

Together we've broken the barriers of stigma, embarrassment and "turf battles" that keep people isolated and afraid to admit that it's okay to be real and to have weaknesses such as poor reading skills. As a community we hold hands and take pride in the willingness to step forth and help each other learn.

• The public learns - how to support our efforts appropriately · Penn State learns - the responsibility of higher education to nurture our people of today and our leaders of tomorrow
• The media learns - through continued public awareness of the needs and realities of literacy that when promoted effectively has a major impact on program success
• The staff learns - as we become sensitive to defining success in terms of the learner's goals rather than imposing our definitions of success on the learners
• The students learn - responsibility for successful learning must be their own. Each learner must be willing to say "This is so important to me that I will come forward, I will take an active part in my own education, I will support this program and reach out to help others understand the value of honesty, pride and hard work involved in learning to read".

We have some real challenges ahead of us in America to remain competitive in the world market and on the local front. I'd like to share some thoughts on what I believe must happen in the nineties to assure a truly literate America. One of my favorite quotes is from Kahil Gibran:

"Then said a teacher, 'Speak to us of teaching.' And he said, no man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and lovingness. If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind."

There is a very strong message for all of us.

• To our media friends - "Media cannot tell us what to think, but it does a brilliant job in telling us what to think about."
  • Print media - must become more sensitive to inspiring people to think about issues at hand in an unbiased, clear, concise manner that enables people to make their own decisions based on having received all the important facts to make a decision. (Ex. Welfare - from the point of view of the recipient, the taxpayer, and the government.) Most people will make the proper decisions if given the facts and the opportunity to participate.
  • Broadcast media - for educational television programming to be effective, it must stop forcing the message "This is what we as educators feel you must know" and instead become more responsive to understanding what the viewers desire to learn to improve their own quality of life in the day to day world where their families live.
• To educators - We have responsibilities to help people reach their highest potential as individuals and as a society. We must provide useful learning that enables the slowest, the average student, and the over-achiever to understand and be informed at the same time as we inspire and challenge each student to excel. This means making certain that teachers are the brightest and best, and most sensitive and in the classroom because they like to teach and are committed to help each student learn.
• To the community - The leadership of our school districts is in the hands of our school boards and administration. At election time you must think about the skills these leaders need in order to provide appropriate direction for our schools. They need strategic planning skills to help us set short and long term goals for education; they need negotiating skills to understand that the primary task is to provide the finest quality of education for our students, and then to have listening skills to hear issues brought forth related to that task. If so, they must understand the role of appropriate compromise. They need to understand curriculum development, and physical education needs, and vocational skills as well as academic needs. When we vote, we must realize that the primary task is to elect officials who will support education.
• To public officials - the enormous responsibility of leaders to be truly sensitive to the needs and quality of life of your constituents and your willingness to champion causes like literacy will have a major impact on the capability of America, as we know it, to survive and compete in the international arena with justice and equality for all.
• To volunteers - your contributions enabled America's non-profit organizations to give $150 billion more in service than those organizations' budgets would otherwise have allowed. In Beaver County, the volunteers - students, tutors and SOCs (those who Serve in Other Capacities) donated more than one million dollars in in kind services to Adult Literacy Action in the past year. How could we live without you??!!
• To the private sector - the impact of literacy on economic development can be viewed in two frameworks. The first is the individual. The second is the organization, which when combined with other organizations, has a powerful regional impact. Points to consider:
  • Literacy is good.
  • Individuals who are literate tend to lead happier lives, hold better jobs, and have higher aspirations than those with fewer literacy skills.

A closer look suggests several subtle issues, which impact the current and potential economic ability of the individual. An individual who is struggling with self-esteem will have more limited energy or initiative to contribute beyond the immediate job or survival tasks thus insuring little advancement beyond the physiological and safety state within his or her life. Unable to cope with change in a world of work processes or technology, individuals, by staying static, in effect regress in their ability to achieve economic advancement, or in some cases, maintain economic stability at their current level.

In those instances where individuals may have the opportunity to gain additional training for work or personal advancement, an inability to cope with training entry or process skill requirements may prove the limiting factor despite desire. This creates an additional problem for organizations.

Organizations rely on the ability of their workers to adapt to change, acquire new and/or different appropriate skills and knowledge and/or develop proficiencies with new systems and processes. When organizations cannot find or identify qualified individuals (new hires), involve employees in training (voluntary programs), or efficiently and effectively retrain employees (mandatory programs responding to a strategic plan), a major element in their economic development effort becomes dysfunctional.

Faced with limited choices regarding the human side of economic development (fire or hire, or retain and retrain), organizations often opt to flee from the marketplace, or flee to locations where the desired human resource skills exist. The impact can be severe and generally exhibits a ripple effect in the community. Individuals must attain a threshold of basic skills which will then allow them to respond to two issues:

• The first is the ability to self-initiate improvement which will benefit themselves by providing opportunities beyond the basic physiological and safety dimensions of their lives.
• The second is to be capable of evolving to filling critical emerging niches as organizations undergo both self-initiated and imposed change.
  • Organizations choosing to participate in this process will achieve effective long-term results. They will be the ones with flexibility to initiate systematic and effective change.
• To our students - you are the backbone of America. Your willingness to take pride in education and to step into leadership roles of advocacy to promote adult literacy is the reason for our success. It is because of your willingness to stand shoulder- to-shoulder with us that so many people work so hard to support your desire to improve your basic skills.