Redlands Library ◯ 3 Adult Literacy Students In Redlands Honored For Their Writing

3 Adult Literacy Students In Redlands Honored For Their Writing

Redlands Daily Facts: 4.26.2020 by Diane Shimota, Adult Literacy Coord-AK Smiley Library

The cornerstones of literacy are reading comprehension and effective writing. Over the past two years, the Redlands Adult Literacy Program has offered tutor training and learner workshops to help learners develop stronger writing skills. The focus on writing led to 10 adult learners from the Redlands Adult Literacy Program entering into the Writer-to-Writer Challenge, sponsored by the Southern California Library Literacy Network (SCLLN). 

The SCLLN annual Writer-to-Writer Challenge invites adult learners throughout Southern California to write a letter to an author, living or dead, whose book has inspired them. This year, 95 adult learners from the Southern California region submitted letters to the challenge. Literacy coordinators screened the letters and selected the top five in each of four categories. Panels of adult learners then judged the top letters and selected one winner and two runners-up for each level of writing.

The Redlands Adult Literacy Program is happy to announce that three adult learners, Marisela Casillas, Maria Hernandez, and Tanya Jauregui, earned runner-up recognition from SCLLN.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, the awards ceremony that would have recognized these learners has been postponed. The Redlands Adult Literacy Program acknowledges the achievement of all adult learners who submitted writing to the challenge and celebrates the three runners-up from Redlands.

Here is what the awardees said they had gained from their experience:

Marisela Casillas

Casillas read the book “Seedfolks” and wrote a letter to author Paul Fleischman. “Seedfolks” was the first book Casillas had read on her own. She chose to write the author because she could relate to the characters in the book.

Maria Hernandez

Hernandez entered the challenge with her letter to Stephanie Sammartino McPherson, reflecting upon the book “Peace and Bread” about the life of Jane Addams. Hernandez was moved by the compassion Jane Addams felt for the poor, especially children and immigrants. Hernandez’s mother shared Jane Addams’ compassion for others and passed this along to her daughter.

Tanya Jauregui

Jauregui read Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” and wrote, “… you gave me courage to find my voice and speak louder for the Adult Literacy Program … I need to keep using my voice to advocate for such an amazing program.”  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Readability Consensus

Based on (7) readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. Old

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)