by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Being able to pick up this newspaper and read the words is something that’s taken for granted by about 80 percent of the people in Duval County.
That means the other 20 percent, or almost 200,000 people, don’t have that ability.
Changing that situation is the mission of Learn to Read Jacksonville. It’s a nonprofit organization with accreditation from ProLiteracy America and memberships with the Literacy Council of Jacksonville, the Florida Literacy Coalition, Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida,
Through community support, Learn to Read provides literacy tutoring, free of charge, to more than 500 students each year.
For 40 years beginning with its founding in 1969, the organization provided one-to-one instruction in which volunteer tutors helped people develop reading and comprehension skills that improved their lives and their career possibilities.
In November 2009, Learn to Read temporarily suspended part of its operation. In August, Lelia Duncan took over as executive director and Learn to Read is back in full operation in the Center for Adult Learning in the Main Library Downtown.
“The students and tutors never stopped meeting,” said Duncan. Now that Learn to Read has a new base of operation, the organization can build a stronger foundation of support within the community, she said.
The program has also evolved from the “each one teach one” format to a class of 5-7 learners led by one or two volunteer tutors. Duncan said when she met with stakeholders about improving literacy rates in the community, the question she was always asked was if there were enough tutors for the 200,000 people who need Learn to Read’s services.
“Of course the answer was ‘no.’ That’s why we adopted the class format,” said Duncan.
Student Success Coordinator Larissa Buchholz said the first step is to interview each student “to get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses and interests.” The next step is to help the student establish goals and begin the learning process.
“It’s exciting to see them gain confidence,” said Buchholz.
Teaching a group of learners offers advantages beyond making it possible for one tutor to help multiple students. It also creates a dynamic of camaraderie and sometimes even a little peer pressure.
“Students ask each other why they missed class or why they don’t know something in class they knew the week before,” said Nancy Devereux, who has been a volunteer tutor at Learn to Read for five years. She’s a self-described “semiretired librarian” who retired from the Jacksonville Public Library and now works part-time at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s library when she’s not helping people learn to read.
In addition to the new class structure, Duncan said the organization also is developing a network of learning sites to complement the effort at the Main Library.
Tutoring centers are being formed all over the county at branch libraries, community centers and churches. Other sites are at companies where there are either people who need to improve their reading skills, people who want to help others learn to read, or both.
The students have the opportunity to improve their literacy skills and there’s a benefit for the tutors as well.
“When I look in the students’ faces, I know this is what I was meant to do. I’m able to connect with them and I know I’m making a difference in their lives,” said Devereux.
Learn to Read will host its annual “Scrabble Stampede” from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at St. John’s Cathedral Downtown. Sponsorships and individual tickets are available beginning at $100 and any donations are welcome, said Duncan.
For more information about the event or to find out how to become a Learn to Read volunteer, visit www.learntoreadjax.com or call 238-9000.
356-2466