Read All About It: local nonprofit combats adult illiteracy in Lubbock County

Read All About It: Literacy in Lubbock

Introduction

For the month of October, our reporter Samantha Larned will feature new stories each week highlighting books, authors, and literacy in Lubbock with our series, “Read All About It.” Stay tuned to 89.1 FM, and radio.kttz.org for more.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In its 2018 report, the Texas Workforce Investment Council found that from 2012 to 2016, over 4.8 million Texans over the age of 18 were eligible for adult education services. In the South Plains, that number was more than 69,000 and nearly 66,000 of those individuals did not have a high school diploma or a GED.

Literacy Lubbock: Addressing the Educational Crisis

Literacy Lubbock is a local nonprofit dedicated to adult education in the greater Lubbock area. The organization’s program and volunteer coordinator Melinda Gonzales described the literacy rate in Texas as part of the “profound educational crisis plaguing our state and city.”

Lubbock County has a 13% illiteracy rate, according to Gonzales, which means about 1 in 8 people in the county are reading at a third grade level or below. Lubbock County’s illiteracy rate is on par with Texas, according to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies’ skill map.

Programs Offered by Literacy Lubbock

Literacy Lubbock has programs for adults over 18 to earn GED credentials and develop skills in English as a second language, literacy, writing and math.

• The GED program has about 400 students
• The English as a second language program (ESL) has about 150 students

“We have people that come from all different countries, different places,” Gonzales said. “It’s an awesome program. You get to learn about their different cultures.”

Classes range from introduction to conversational. And many ESL students are learning English in hopes of attending Texas Tech University, Gonzales explained.

Partnerships and Outreach

Literacy Lubbock has partnerships across the city, county and surrounding communities. As program coordinator, Gonzales does many outreach events.

In addition to these community events and the organization’s website, Gonzales said many hear about the classes by word of mouth, from friends and neighbors.

All of the classes offered by Literacy Lubbock are free; the only things students have to pay for are books, but Gonzales said barriers like childcare, transportation and work schedules still keep people from attending.

Classes are on a set schedule across multiple locations including the Mahon Library, the Dream Center, Hodges Community Center, Catholic Charities, and Buckner Family Hope Center. But for those who can’t make it, accommodations are made based on their needs, such as online alternatives or one-on-one meetings.

Expanding Literacy Lubbock

Literacy Lubbock is also hoping to expand to catch as many people as possible. And according to Gonzales, the work is never finished.

“I’m always busy. People call me, email me, constantly, day and night,” Gonzales said. “I just want to reach the whole community. And I know it’s hard, but that’s what I want to do.”

Volunteering and Donations

Literacy Lubbock is always looking for volunteers and accepting donations, which go toward transportation, books, tests and anything else for which students might need to pay.

Another way Literacy Lubbock is raising money is the Lubbock Book Festival: an annual event focused on “Promoting Storytelling on the South Plains.”

This year’s book fest will be Nov. 3 and 4. Tickets are available on the festival’s website: $5 each day or $10 for both.

The event serves as exposure for Literacy Lubbock and for local authors, who will be set up at stalls selling and signing books and meeting fans.

Next week, KTTZ will hear from two of Lubbock Book Festival’s attending authors, Linda Broday and Kim Hunt Harris, and take a closer look at reading and writing communities in Lubbock.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
• SDG 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
• SDG 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
• SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 4.6: Literacy rates among adults over the age of 18 in Texas and Lubbock County.
• Indicator for SDG 8.6: Number of adults enrolled in adult education programs and their employment status after completing the programs.
• Indicator for SDG 10.7: Number of immigrants and refugees attending adult education programs in Lubbock.
• Indicator for SDG 17.17: Number of partnerships and collaborations established by Literacy Lubbock with other organizations and institutions.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: radio.kttz.org

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