Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and two of its former students recently received national recognition for their efforts. Earlier this fall,
CBS Sunday Morning featured GPLC alumni Walter Long and LaVonne McKinstry in a segment about the problem of illiteracy in our country. The segment highlighted a shocking statistic: one in seven adults in the U.S. are “functionally illiterate,” meaning that they lack the reading or English language skills needed to function effectively in everyday life.
Walter and LaVonne hid their problem from their friends, co-workers and even their families, a common occurrence among adults with low literacy skills. Both felt shame and embarrassment and experienced limitations in their lives. Each came to Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council with unique goals: Walter wanted to be able to read to his then 4-year-old daughter and LaVonne wanted to become more active in her church and get a better job.
With Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council’s help they accomplished these goals and much more. You can meet Walter and LaVonne personally and view the CBS Sunday Morning segment at www.gplc.org/multimedia.cfm
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Don’t miss
Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council’s first-ever appearance on a national news program. Be sure to watch or set your DVR for 9 a.m. on Sunday, September 27 when several GPLC students will be featured in a story about literacy on the
CBS news program
Sunday Morning. A network production crew, featuring
60 Minutes correspondent
Byron Pitts, came in early September to shoot footage at the Downtown Center and conduct interviews with GPLC alumni Walter Long and LaVonne McKinstry at work and at home. They also talked to students at The Neighborhood Academy.
The national attention is the result of Pitts’ own struggles with reading and his high regard for this organization. Pitts, who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old, was introduced to GPLC several years ago when he spoke at their 2006 Leaders for Literacy Luncheon. Since then, he’s addressed more than a dozen literacy organizations around the country and maintains that GPLC rises above the crowd. His personal journey is documented in a new memoir titled Stepping Out On Nothing.
Again, the CBS Sunday Morning broadcast featuring GPLC is September 27th at 9 a.m.
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PS: The 2009 Leaders for Literacy Luncheon featuring author David Baldacci is just around the corner, October 14th. Get you tickets today at http://www.gplc.org/luncheon.cfm
or contact Maria Polinsky at mpolinsky@gplc.org
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