Carlsbad Library - 25th Anniversary of Literacy Services

25th Anniversary of Literacy Services
Learning Connection: July/August 2009

Each year Carlsbad Library Literacy Services hosts a Celebration dinner and ceremony to recognize the achievements of our learners and the contributions of our volunteer tutors. This year the Celebration was particularly noteworthy because it was the 25th Anniversary of the literacy program in Carlsbad.

Approximately 150 learners, tutors and their families and friends attended the Celebration, enjoyed delicious food from Pat & Oscars, and learned about the history of the Carlsbad literacy program from the woman who founded it, Lynda Jones. Carrie Scott, Community Outreach Coordinator for Literacy Services, introduced other speakers including Library Director, Heather Pizzuto, Principal Librarian for the Learning Center, Carol Naegele, a Literacy Services tutor and five learners.

Since it started in 1984, the Carlsbad adult literacy program has served approximately 1,500 learners who have taken the sometimes gigantic step to ask for help. Volunteer tutors have donated over 175,000 hours representing more than $3 million dollars in value.

In 1998, Judy Gaitan, a special education teacher from Carlsbad High School, called our then coordinator Lynda Jones. From that phone call, a unique partnership was born in which special education students from Carlsbad High School earn class credit for the time they spend at our program working with our tutors, materials and technology to improve their reading, writing, and vocabulary. The high school program has grown from 7 high school students and 1 volunteer to 34 high school students and 16 volunteers.

To honor the 25 years of learning, each table featured centerpieces with photos throughout the years and quotes from current learners and tutors. In their own words,learners and tutors describe what the Literacy Services means to them. See page 2 for some of the quotes. READ MORE !