On April 30, on behalf of Southeast Ministry and the DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition (DC-AFLC), one of our instructors, Riley Grime, and our Executive Director, Valarie Ashley, testified before the DC City Council Committee on Education at its budget oversight hearing.
“95 percent of the adult learners who are currently enrolled t Southeast Ministry entered our program as adult basic education students, meaning that they tested at or below an 8th grade functioning level. Of that 95 percent, about two-thirds tested below a 5th grade level,” said Ms. Grime.
“The vast majority of our learners come to us with two goals: to gain a high school credential, and to gain the skills necessary to begin a new or better career in order to support themselves and their families. Both of these goals are attainable for our learners, but require a considerable amount of time and effort to achieve,” she continued. “Adult learners at Southeast Ministry know what is at stake as they work towards achieving their goals. They support each other in their educational process, just as members of the DC-AFLC support each other in their work to strengthen adult and family literacy policies for the city.”
In regards to the motivation of adult learners, Mrs. Ashley spoke about a recent incident, “On Tuesday, May 6, 2014, a few minutes after 9 a.m., gunmen opened fire on a group in front of our building. A learner in our class was hit by shell casings. I remember being deeply moved. The next day when I asked how she was doing, she answered, ‘I can’t let anything stop me from getting my education.'”
Valarie went on to say, “literacy is a fundamental skill that profoundly affects one’s ability to participate in all aspects of work, family, and community in 21st century life. There are many who are also recognizing it as an issue of civil rights. Evidence about the positive effects of parental/adult literacy and its relationship to K-12 success, health literacy, and of course employment and economic development outcomes have been well documented. Organizations like SEM and others are on the front lines of the battle to give adults an educational second chance, to help adults succeed at training to find work, improve their children’s educational outcomes, and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.”
For information regarding donating to Southeast Ministry, our programs, or volunteering, please visit. www.southeastministrydc.org, or call 202-562-2636.
We also invite you to ‘Like’ us on Facebook, and follow our Twitter feed, as well as our Instagram page.
