by KIM HILSENBECK
One in five Central Texans struggles with low literacy.
That’s according to Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas, a nonprofit that provides health, education and human services across 10 counties in the rural capital area.
If it’s hard to imagine what that means, think about standing in an aisle at the grocery store with four other people; one of those people is not able to read the labels on packages of food. Or imagine waiting in the doctor’s office with nine other people, two of whom won’t be able to read the dosage that comes with their prescription.
According to a 2010 report, 23.6 percent of all Texans need adult literacy services. That’s why the “Literacy Illuminates” campaign to raise awareness about the need for literacy services was started.
Jon Engel, adult education director at Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas, said the need for a competitive, educated workforce is critical.
“The perception is that in Central Texas we have a highly educated workforce,” Engel said. “But one in five adults needs to improve their reading ability.”
At the June 27 GED graduation ceremony at the San Marcos Library, Engel said graduates wore either a blue or yellow glow stick shaped in a circle on their heads. When the lights were turned off, the yellow glow sticks represented the number of Central Texas adults, one in every five, that need help with reading.
That is how Engel said Community Action launched “Literacy Illuminates” – an unprecedented partnership among local government, school districts, and the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas – in Hays County. The program got its initial support from a $5,000 grant from the Mary Bonner Family Foundation.
According to Engel, the literacy campaign is part of a larger effort among these collaborating partners to find solutions for education-related trends in our community, such as 43 percent of adults with the lowest literacy levels living in poverty.