Community Corner

Volunteers Combat Adult Illiteracy in Mercer County

The Literacy Volunteers in Mercer County are working to improve local illiteracy.

Over 60,000 adults cannot read beyond a fifth grade level in Mercer County. The Literacy Volunteers in Mercer County, Inc., is chipping away at this number with their dedicated team of over 200 tutors.

The LVMC is one of the few organizations to offer free one-on-one sessions to all who need them. Group sessions are also available, but the private sessions allow for unparalleled individual attention.

“A lot of our students aren’t able to go to the county college or another organization that offers group classes at another time,” said Cindy Gordon, Chairwoman of the Literacy Volunteers Board of Trustees. “Maybe they’re working, or taking care of family. We match the student with a tutor that can find a time and place that makes sense for them, and we find out what their needs are.”

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Gordon first became involved with tutoring 15 years ago when she saw an ad in the newspaper. Her first student was a 42-year-old man who had grown up in Trenton and dropped out of the Trenton school system at age 16.

“He was a truck driver despite the fact that he couldn’t read beyond a second-grade level,” said Gordon. “He could read signs, and he managed somehow to pass a driver’s license test. Someone would give him a list of places to make deliveries, and he couldn’t read the list.”

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Gordon worked with her student twice a week at the Lawrence Library for three years, clearing through a series of textbooks that the libraries provided. He was able to pass his GED and went on to study at the county college.

"I just can’t tell you what that feels like to teach someone to read," said Gordon. "It changes their life in so many ways."    

At the moment, there are 411 students taking classes through the LVMC, whether individually or through group sessions. Currently, there are 79 on a waiting list, and many attend group sessions while waiting to be matched up with an individual tutor. Individual sessions offer a clear advantage over group classes because tutors can attend to the exact needs of their students, according to Gordon.

“It’s hard to learn in a group class because everyone is really at a different level,” said Gordon. “We’re happy to help them, and they do benefit, but if you’re not doing the same thing at the same time, it’s hard. The learning process goes so much faster if you have one-on-one tutoring.”

Two hundred and nineteen tutors are actively involved with the LVMC, and anyone can become a tutor after completing a 15-hour training program. Waiting lists have grown to be over 300 students at times, and the organization is continues to steadily look for more volunteer tutors to handle the high demand. 

Gordon is currently gearing up for Adult Education Literacy Awareness Month in September, which will feature a series of awareness and recruiting events in libraries throughout the county. Last year, Congressman Rush Holt and County Executive Brian Hughes designated September as Mercer County Adult Literacy Month through an official proclamation.

LVMC is affiliated with the national program, Pro-Literacy, and over half of its funding is generated through private donations. In addition to recruiting volunteer tutors, the organization also reaches out to local corporations and individuals who can contribute.

The adult literacy students reflect the diversity of Mercer County as students hail from all over the map, including Czechoslovakia, Poland, Korea, Mexico, France, Haiti, and Egypt. However, 49 of the students are native American English speakers.

In addition to literacy programs, computer classes offered by the LVMC have been in high demand due to the recent economic downturn, and basic computer skills are a near necessity in today's job market. The group classes also take place in local Mercer County libraries, who have “been a terrific partner” to the organization, according to Gordon.

Adult literacy is positively correlated with the educational success of their children, a statistic that Gordon has plenty of anecdotes to back up. One woman, a native of China, began taking tutoring lessons about four years ago from the LVMC.  Eventually her husband, daughter, and a handful of other family members were receiving lessons from the same tutor. This year, the family all earned their American citizenship at the same time, Gordon said. 

“I’ve been involved in many kinds of organizations and charitable causes over the years,” said Gordon. “But literacy, to me, is the most gratifying. It’s just such a great feeling to see that all of a sudden, someone can buy a birthday card for their wife without worrying about getting the right card or not. You just don’t even think about this stuff.” 

To get involved with the Literacy Volunteers of Mercer County, visit http://www.mercerliteracy.org or call 609-587-6027.


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