Letter: Literacy is rewarding
Donald Chiappetta is on the board of Literacy Suffolk, but up until his 40th birthday, he could only read on a second-grade level. (July 24, 2012) Credit: Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan
Literacy is rewarding
The news story "Illiteracy on LI: Call for Help" [Aug. 6] and the editorial "Give the gift of reading" [Aug. 10] emphasize both the need for literacy tutors and the challenges facing those who are functionally illiterate on Long Island. The response has been very gratifying.
At Literacy Suffolk we believe that the ability to read, write and communicate effectively is critical to personal freedom and the maintenance of a democratic society. While the numbers and the need are surprising to many, we suspect that there is an even greater need, especially among those for whom English is their primary language. They may be ashamed of revealing their plight to family, friends, and employers.
Funding is an immediate challenge facing literacy organizations in light of budget cuts in public funding and a sharp reduction in financial support from private donations. While core services are volunteer-based, there is a need for an infrastructure of paid staff to train, supervise, update the skills of volunteer tutors and testers, enroll students, and provide testing.
There is no greater reward than to see the world opened to an adult who enters the world of reading. It is a skill that most of us take for granted until we see it through the eyes of a literacy student. In addition, many lifelong friendships are made across cultures, races, socio-economic strata and age groups. It is an excellent opportunity for teaching and learning. I hope that many of your readers will join us in this important effort.
Aldustus E. Jordan, III
Editor's note: The writer is the board president for Literacy Suffolk Inc.
