LAI President And CEO Asks "What Community Means To You?"

On Tuesday, April 26 2011, members of the community gathered to begin a series of important conversations sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Georgia. Entitled "Community Activism, Advocacy and How We Can All Participate", the conversation began with a dialogue between LAI President and Chief Executive Officer, Karen Webster Parks and Chief Judge of Fulton County State Court, Patsy Porter. 

Robin Schmerler, League of Women Voters Board (Left), Karen Webster Parks (Right)

The dialogue opened the floor to topics regarding community service, why it is important to get involved, how to help when funds are low, and many more community based topics. The audience participated in the open discussion, giving their experiences and opinions as to how they can become involved and get others to follow.

Karen Webster Parks (Left) with Patsy Porter (Right)

Our community is important and we must work together to ensure that it is the best that it can be for all citizens! Karen Webster Parks said "if you touch one person all the work was worth it." Keeping the conversation going is one of the first steps to ensuring that community activism continues.We encourage everyone to support your community and go out and be active. You don't have to donate money to make a difference. Judge Porter mentioned, giving of yourself and your time is sometimes worth more than a check.

So, what are you doing for your community?

From Left to Right: Ryan Hall, Karen Webster Parks , Robin Schmerler, Tracey-Ann Nelson, Nausha Brown Chavez, Patsy Porter , Kristin Gray, Olivia Greene.

Poets Among Us: Even More Poetry from LAI Students!

About the Poet

A native Georgian, Chris Vincent, 26, came to Literacy Action in 2010. 
He began in Math 1 and Reading 1, and is now enrolled in Math 3 and Reading 3. Chris is always helping with registration, GAIN testing and other tasks around the office! He says that he is well on his way to reaching his goal of obtaining his GED and he has Literacy Action to thank!

Poets Among Us: More Poetry from LAI Students!!!

About the Poet

Terrance Wilbern is 18 years old and began attending classes at Literacy Action in February 2011. He completed the eighth grade, but decided to leave because his classes were either too hard or too boring. He came to LAI because he wanted a school where he could learn at his own speed and level.  

When he is not in school Terrance volunteers at Atlanta Pet Rescue & Adoption and aspires to attend a culinary arts school once he receives his GED.

Young Volunteers Talk Volunteering And Adult Illiteracy!!!

Listen to what our younger volunteers have to say!!!

Special Thanks to 

Atiya Avery

Billy Diehl

Shannon Chen

Shreya Dave

William Brust

For taking the time to participate in our first ever young volunteer roundtable discussion!!!

Our Students Say Thank You!

Volunteers are vital pieces to our community! 

We appreciate the work that they do and the commitment that they have made to our organization and our students! Watch our students express their gratitude and love for our volunteers!

Volunteers In Action!

Our volunteers are not always standing in front of the classroom. Sometimes they are sitting next to our students giving one-on-one assistance with math, reading and answering any questions that our students might have. Take a look at some of our dedicated volunteers as they assist our students!

Saturday mornings, when most of us are still sleeping, Atiya Avery assists wait-list and current students in the Learning Lab. Here she is helping student Tyhea Hines with his math homework.

Learning Lab tutor, Cathy Brown, assists student Pauline Seays with her reading on Wednesdays.

In addition to assisting with our Reading 3 class during the week, Karen Gold assists wait list and current students in the Learning Lab on Saturdays. Here she is helping student Marie DeValus with reading.

Every Moment Is An Opportunity to Learn!

After finding a misprint on a class handout David Jones, a LAI volunteer of 12 years, decided to use the error as a teaching tool. Watch as he, along with our Pre-GED teacher, help instruct the Pre-GED class on how to read passages for correct word context. 

Volunteering Changes Lives! Not Just For Our Students, But For Our Staff!

Registrar, teacher and former volunteer, Nausha Brown Chavez tells you how volunteering affected her life and how it can change yours!

How They Help! : LAI Teacher Reflects on Having Volunteers In The Classroom.

Kevin Spearman, GED Preparation instructor, reflects on how volunteers help him in the classroom!

Becky's Corner: LAI Volunteer Coordinator Kicks Off National Volunteer Week!

 Becky Lyons,Volunteer Coordinator, kick starts National Volunteer Week and reflects on the wonderful volunteer program at Literacy Action!

Unemployed? Need a GED? It'll cost you $250!

Very disappointing news! 

We don't understand how increasing the cost of the GED test by about 265% and making it computer-based only will increase the accessibility of the test for Georgia's residents. It is so difficult for many students to raise $95 to take the test as it is. You can go take the SAT for $47, or the GRE for $160.  Why is the GED going to be so much more?

To add to our frustration, we just looked on the Pearson-VUE site and saw that Georgia is a pilot state for the computer-based testing.  If we are a pilot state, why do the fees have to increase with the pilot?  It doesn't make sense to us that students are going to be penalized when Georgia elected to try out a new system. We really are not ones to criticize change just because it is change.  In fact, we are all for finding new ways to teach our students and get them their GED.

While many of the students may be able to use a computer well enough to click multiple-choice answers, most of them will not be able to type well enough to get an essay on paper within the time limit, much less have time to go back and edit it. College students who take the Regent's Writing Essay don't even have to type out their essays. They write them. 

We also don't understand why there is only a 3 month warning period.  Although we knew that there were going to be some changes to the GED soon, we feel like these types of changes and the very short time left to take the current version just came out of nowhere.  Is there anything that can be done to extend the time we have to continue with the current version? and why are we requiring more of our GED students?

Poets Among Us

About the Poet!

Audrey Key is 27 and has been at Literacy Action for 2 1/2 years. She started in our Reading 1 class, but has progressed to Reading 3 and is currently enrolled in our health class. Audrey was placed in a Special Ed program due to her learning disability and obtained a Special Ed Diploma. When Audrey first came to Literacy Action she compared her reading and writing skills to a first grader, but now she would compare it to that of a third grader. The hardest subjects for Audrey to understand are reading and spelling.  Her ultimate goal is to one day be a photographer.

Improve Your Reading with Reading 3

Our Reading 3 class allows students to continue to build on their word-reading skills.  To help increase reading fluency, students read short stories, articles, and novels aloud. Writing thank-you letters and short paragraphs using correct punctuation is a standard part of the cirriculum.  In addition, our Reading 3 class also focuses on practical living by helping students learn how to read prescription labels, fill out checks and money orders, read and understand common signs, use a calendar, and write to-do lists.

Join one of Reading 3 small groups as they read a novel aloud!