Adult Literacy Awareness Summit
Source: Greater Columbia Literacy Council
Greater Columbia Literacy Council (GCLC) hosted an Adult Literacy Awareness Summit for AfricanAmerican leaders throughout South Carolina to discuss the need for adult literacy services throughout
the state. Speakers were members of Toastmasters clubs.
GCLC recruited, trained, and enrolled members of local Toastmasters clubs to become “literacy
spokespersons.” Each spokesperson learned about literacy by taking courses at Verizon Literacy
Network. For practice, spokespersons then presented one speech about adult literacy at a local
Toastmasters club. A panel of judges then selected three individuals to deliver speeches at the summit.
Participants in the summit evaluated the quality of speeches as excellent. The speakers portrayed the
challenges of adult learners and the need for literacy services in such a compelling way that attendees
were informed and moved. All of the Toastmasters were experienced speakers who knew how to hold
the audience’s attention. This partnership worked so well that the three finalists offered to continue to
serve as volunteer speakers for literacy events throughout the state.
GCLC has scheduled speaking engagements at several venues, “loaning out” the spokespersons to other
literacy programs in South Carolina.
Attached are the invitation for the Adult Literacy Awareness Summit, the Toastmasters recruitment
letter, and the Literacy Spokesperson Program registration form.
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Adult Literacy Awareness Summit for AfricanAmerican Leaders
Friday, November 4, 2005 7:30-9:00 a.m.
Tronco's at the Fairgrounds
Includes a free breakfast
Deadline to Register: 10 a.m. Friday, October 28
Sponsored by
SC Human Affairs Commission, Columbia Urban League
Greater Columbia Community Relations Council, Sisters of Charity Foundation
Greater Columbia Literacy Council/Volunteers of America of the Carolinas
Funded by Verizon
According to the 2000 Census, nearly one-quarter of the state's total adult population, more than
600,000 adults, lack a high school diploma or GED credential. Less than 10% of these persons are
enrolled in any kind of educational program. Our state needs to come together to address the serious
need for accessible services that address adult undereducation.
This Awareness Summit represents a targeted outreach effort to acquaint organizational and business
leaders, especially in African-American communities, with the issues surrounding adult illiteracy and its
impact. The Summit will also highlight strategies that can be used by churches, civic groups,
businesses, direct service providers, funders, activist organizations and others to leverage resources to
address this need through effective collaborations. Participants will have an opportunity to "sign on" to
a leadership network that will pursue follow-up activities after the Summit. The Summit is made
possible at no expense to participants due to the generosity of Verizon, a committed supporter of adult
literacy. The grant is one of 13 made nationally, and the format will be presented as a model at the
Proliteracy Worldwide conference in Tucson, AZ, this fall.
This Summit will not be an ordinary meeting. The speakers will be members of Toastmasters
International chosen through a competitive process as Outstanding Literacy Spokespersons. The keynote
will be delivered by Ms. Chakisse Newton, one of eight finalists at this year's International Speaking
Contest held in Toronto, Canada. Ms. Newton resides in Columbia and is herself a successful AfricanAmerican businesswoman with a special inspirational message about adult literacy.
You are cordially invited to attend.
TO REGISTER, CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
 Call 803-765-2555 during regular business hours Monday-Thursday.
 Email dwyoho@earthlink.net and include your name, organization, mailing address,
business phone, and email address in the body of the message
 Go to www.literacycolumbia.org. Click on "Contact us" and send a message including your
name, organization, mailing address, business phone and email address in the text portion of the
message.
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A special opportunity for all Toastmasters
MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE
Become a Literacy Spokesperson
Deliver one speech about adult literacy and earn $40 cash
Compete for a $100 cash prize
The deadline to register for this opportunity is Monday, October 3.
The Greater Columbia Literacy Council is in the process of recruiting at least 20 members of Toastmasters International
clubs from anywhere in South Carolina to train as Literacy Spokespersons.
Training consists of "taking" at least one on-line 45-minute course about literacy available at the Verizon Literacy Campus.
To be sure this resource is utilized, each Toastmaster will complete a written Commentary about their Verizon coursework.
(Your Commentary will be used by the Council later to train adult literacy tutors.)
Next, each Toastmaster will prepare a 10-15 minute speech about adult literacy and present it to their Toastmasters club so
you can get the speech evaluated and "count" it toward a CTM, ATM or DTM. Each Literacy Spokesperson who completes
a course and presents a speech will be paid a $40 stipend. All will then participate in a competition, presenting their
speeches to a panel of judges representing community stakeholders, especially African-American leaders. The competition
will include a free luncheon for all participants. The judges will choose three Toastmasters as the Outstanding
Spokespersons and award a $100 prize to each. (This is not a TI-sanctioned competition.)
On November 4, 2005 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. the Council will sponsor an Adult Literacy Awareness Summit for AfricanAmerican Leaders in cooperation with the SC Human Affairs Commission, the Columbia Urban League and the Columbia
Community Relations Council. The Summit will occur at a free breakfast at Tronco's at the Fairgrounds. The three
Outstanding Spokespersons will present their speeches to this group of 200 influential community leaders.
Your task is to both inform the audience about the importance of literacy and the need for adult literacy programs to help
those who cannot read, AND to inspire the audience to take action by getting involved in the delivery of adult literacy
services. After the three Outstanding Spokespersons have presented their speeches, I will describe how these leaders and the
organizations they represent can collaborate with the Literacy Council. The leaders who are interested in collaborating will
complete follow-up information and I will meet with them later.
Here is the timeline:
1.
2.
3.
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5.
Complete and return, via email, the attached registration form no later than October 3. Email this to
dwyoho@earthlink.net. On the form, choose one of the two competition dates when you will present your speech to
the judges.
Using the attached Guide to the Verizon Literacy Campus, complete a Verizon course and fill out the Commentary.
Then prepare and deliver your speech to your club no later than Sunday, October 23. Return your Verification Form
and receive your $40 check.
Attend the Competition on your chosen date and deliver your speech again for the judges.
If you are selected as an Outstanding Spokesperson, attend the November 4 breakfast and deliver your speech to the
Summit participants. Collect your $100 check.
You will be enrolled as an official SC Literacy Lion. This means that your name will be added to our list of literacy
supporters and you will be invited to other events in the future. You will also receive our quarterly newsletter.
In the future, the Literacy Council may call on you to act as a Literacy Spokesperson by presenting speeches about literacy in
a variety of community forums. However, you are under no obligation to do so.
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Registration Form
Greater Columbia Literacy Council
Literacy Spokesperson Program
Please fill in and email to dwyoho@earthlink.net no later than Sunday, October 23, 2005
Yes! I agree to (type or scribble your initials before each item, please):
___ Choose at least one "Course" at the Verizon Literacy Campus and use it to learn about literacy
needs and literacy programs.
___ Complete a Commentary about the Verizon course.
___ Prepare a 10-15 minute speech about adult literacy and present it to my Club before October 23,
2005.
___ Attend the following Competition (circle one) at the Greater Columbia Literacy Council, 2728
Devine Street, at 12 p.m. to present my speech to the judges:
Tuesday, October 25
Wednesday, October 26
Thursday, October 27
___ If I am selected as an Outstanding Spokesperson, I will attend the Literacy Awareness Summit on
Thursday, November 4 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. to present my speech again.
PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT
Name:
Email
Mailing address:
Home phone:
Zip:
Work phone:
Cell:
Thank you for supporting the cause of "turning pages into
possibilities."
10-06.Veriz-Aware Summit GCLC PP
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