FEBRUARY STUDENT ORGANIZATION OF THE MONTH: LITERACY IS THE EDGE (LITE)

By: Emily Dowdell

            You might have heard about Literacy is the Edge. They have a catchy acronym (LITE), which actually manages to describe a little bit about the organization. LITE attempts, through communication materials (like a campaign to raise awareness) and the recruitment of tutors, to create a light in the darkness for the illiterate of Alabama. The organization partners with the Literacy Council of West Alabama to fight illiteracy in the state.

            The organization began in 2008, when a group of graduate students enrolled in Dr. Bruce Berger’s Persuasive Communications (APR 572) class recognized a need. About one in four Alabama residents are functionally illiterate. This means that 25% of Alabamians lack the basic reading and writing skills necessary to function in society. Functionally illiterate adults cannot help their children with their homework, read the labels on prescription drugs, or fill out a job application by themselves. After this realization, the students essentially made the class into a campaign, and according to current president Jessica Carlton, “the students in the class all join Literacy is the Edge, becoming officers and running the campaign.” “The major focus is awareness,” Carlton said. “People don’t realize what kind of impact they can have as a tutor, or even just as someone who spreads the word.” Carlton says that this year, the campaign focused its efforts on fundraising, and has raised over $4,000, nearly doubling their goal of $2,500. This doesn’t mean, however, that the group has done away with recruiting tutors. The organization also doubled their goal of 100 tutors, having recruited over 200 tutors.

            According to Carlton, currently there is more of a need for tutors for adults, than for children, “mostly because people generally feel more comfortable with children.”  However, the group can accommodate all interests, as tutors may choose to tutor adults or children in reading, in addition to becoming a GED and English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor. The organization emphasizes that just one hour of tutoring a week can make a difference, though students may dedicate as much time as they want.

            Interested students may email literacyistheedge@gmail.com to indicate their interest, or visit the group’s website at lite.ua.edu. Training sessions are held monthly, with the next training occurring on February 22^nd, from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Tuscaloosa Public Library. In the training program, “students get everything they need to become a tutor,” said Carlton, including instruction techniques and tips.

            To see the Empower Literacy campaign in action, visit the LITE website, where students can see PSAs created by the group, a promotional video for Quidditch on the Quad that the group put together with TCF (telecommunications and film) students, and much more.