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 ➤➤
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)
