South Suburban College to Host Family Literacy Night

The South Suburban College Adult Literacy Program and the SSC Book Club will host Family Literacy Night on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. Harris Bank is sponsoring the entire cost of this special event that is open to the public, and will be held in the Kindig Performing Arts Center.

Stop by for stories, community literacy information, and fun. Family Literacy Night will feature a greeting by SSC President George Dammer, a reading by poet Delores Boswell, author of "That Oprah," a reading by Norm Cowie, author of "The Adventure of Guy" and "Fang Face," and more fun interactive reading events for kids. Following the presentation, there will be open family reading and refreshments. There will also be raffle prizes for participants.

SSC's Office of Community Education recently acquired the new grant that will allow them to administer the new Adult Volunteer Literacy Tutoring Program in addition to their existing services of General Education Development, English as a Second Language, and Adult Basic Education.

Illiteracy is an issue that can be debilitating in so many ways for adults who never received the proper instruction. Adults who are unable to read have a much more difficult time with many daily activities that others may take for granted, along with a clear disadvantage in today's competitive job market. This new SSC program is structured to seek and train volunteers to become one-on-one tutors. The tutor training is a 12-hour program that culminates with literacy training certification. Once certified, the tutors will go out to visit their adult learners at locations in or near their neighborhoods.

Tutoring sites have already been established at the following locations: Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest; South Suburban College Library, Main Campus; South Suburban College Adult Education Center, Main Campus; University and College Center Library, Oak Forest; University and College Adult Education Center, Oak Forest; and Midlothian Public Library. Tutoring will be scheduled by the availability of the tutors and the learners, and the availability of space and hours of the tutoring sites.

For more information, please contact Matthew Beasland, Coordinator of the Adult Literacy Volunteer Program, at 708-596-2000 ext. 2558, or email mbeasland@ssc.edu. South Suburban College is located at 15800 S. State St., South Holland.