Three Clinton School students will debut a new tutor training manual for member councils of Arkansas Literacy Councils (ALC) during a workshop at the Little Rock Hilton February 17-19, 2010.
More than 60 representatives from 44 nonprofit, grassroots literacy councils across the state are expected to attend. The mission of the literacy councils is to recruit and train volunteers to help adults to learn to read and write and learn English as a second language.
During the three-day workshop, Clinton School students Mark Lienhart of North Little Rock, Julie Meyer of Appleton, Wis., and Jeerawat Na Thalang of Thailand will present a draft the training manual for councils, which incorporates traditional classroom training with online courses from the Verizon Literacy Foundation’s “Thinkfinity.org” website.
The manual is designed to be used by any organization that is working to address the issue of adult literacy in their communities with the help of volunteer tutors.
The tutor training manual culminates the students’ Practicum project, which is a component of the Clinton School’s two-year Master’s of Public Service degree program.
On the night of February 18, Literacy Action of Central Arkansas will host “Shine a Light on Literacy,” the second annual fundraiser benefiting the Little Rock-based literacy council.
Lamps decorated and donated by local artists will be auctioned off at the event, including one donated by Clinton School student Rebecca Swearingen.
Arkansas’s First Lady Ginger Beebe will serve as honorary chairperson and host the event at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. She will also be designing a lamp for the auction.
According to Marie Bruno, executive director of ALC, the work of the Clinton School students is invaluable.
“ALC exists to help local councils provide the best services possible,” Bruno said. “Once finished, this manual will be available online and will go a long way in helping our councils attract volunteers to adult literacy.”
The goal of the Clinton School students and ALC is to have the manual completed, distributed and available online by March 2010.
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