Calling all volunteers

BBCC literacy program needs more volunteer hours to keep state funding

MOSES LAKE — Watching Sesame Street and reading television captions are two pieces of advice Valerie Wade and Theresa Campbell often give their students.

"I tell them read the newspaper; find anything you can to improve your reading skills," Campbell said.

Wade is a basic skills instructor and volunteer literacy coordinator at Big Bend Community College. Campbell is a volunteer literacy tutor.

Finding tutors like Campbell to volunteer on a consistent basis is a challenge for the Volunteer Literacy Tutor program which depends on a combination of state funding and local donations from Wal-Mart, United Way of Grant County and Hastings Books Music and Video to operate.

The state, Wade warns, could take away funding if her program fails to meet 1,000 student contact hours from June 30 to the following July 1.

This last time around only 800 contact hours were recorded. There are currently between 10 to 12 tutors who volunteer.

The volunteer program is what Wade considers to be an essential component to removing barriers for many who are trying to better themselves so they can make a living wage.

"Literacy today is not just reading," Wade said, adding it includes having basic math, computer and writing skills.

Indeed, much has changed since Wade began at BBCC in 1978 when students went from a world without computers to flat screen computers.

When asked what she thinks about the change she remarked it means "preparing the person for the 21st Century."

Campbell, whose parents had come to the U.S. from Poland, learned to speak English in kindergarten and was 58 years old by the time she earned her high school diploma.

"I want them just to know they can succeed," Campbell said.

Talking to students about subjects that are of interest to them is one method Campbell uses to motivate students to succeed.

Ukrainian and Hispanic populations Wade sees most often come through her program.

She finds that native born Basin residents who have gone through the public school system and enroll in literacy programs at BBCC, on average, dropped out of school by the 10th grade and come back when they are between the ages of 25 and 45.

What brings them back is a desire to move up in position and pay, Wade said.

The BBCC literacy program is in its fourth year and served 77 students last year.

The program is currently forming an advisory committee to gather input from the community in an effort to recruit more tutors.