Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and the Illinois Press Association have announced the winners of the annual Spotlight on Achievement and Spotlight on Service awards recognizing outstanding literacy students and volunteer tutors in Illinois.
“I am honored to congratulate the twenty winners of the 2012 Spotlight literacy awards,” said White. “Many literacy students have overcome tremendous personal difficulties and obstacles to reach this level of achievement. I am also very proud to recognize the tutors for their generosity and encouragement in helping their literacy students achieve their utmost potential.”
The ten students honored for outstanding achievement in developing and improving their literacy skills are:
- Debra Bradford, John Wood Community College, Quincy
- Henry Dillon, Common Place Family Learning Center, Peoria
- Tywonda Edwards, Fishes & Loaves Outreach, Springfield
- Lovell Fisher, Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville
- Lola Jones, De La Salle Tolton Center, Chicago
- Gayla Karns, Frontier Community College, Fairfield
- Hilaria Ochoa, De La Salle Tolton Center, Chicago
- Frantz St. Fort, Indo-American Center, Chicago
- Darrell Taylor, Literacy Chicago
- Supaporn Yip, Albany Park Community Center, Chicago
The ten outstanding tutors honored for their contributions in helping literacy students reach their goals are:
- Lynn Campbell, Peoria Regional Superintendent of Schools, Peoria
- Naomi Crowell, Kaskaskia College, Centralia
- Mary Gercken, South Suburban College, South Holland
- Sister Lucy Giacchetti, SSND, Corazon a Corazon, Chicago
- Lori Hesterberg, Monroe/Randolph Regional Office of Education, Chester
- Yaro Hospodarsky, Rend Lake College, Ina
- Sheela Jeevanandam, De La Salle Tolton, Chicago
- Connie Jenkins, Project READ, Richland Community College, Decatur
- Terry Schlabach, Black Hawk College, Moline
- Rodney Yarger, Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley, St. Charles
Students and tutors are nominated by local providers that receive literacy grant funding from the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library Literacy Office. Each year ten students and ten tutors are honored. Students received a $200 check from the Illinois Press Association Foundation, and a congratulatory plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White. Tutors also received a congratulatory plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White, and a $200 donation to their tutoring organization by the Illinois Press Association Foundation.
“The Illinois Press Association is proud to participate in the Spotlight Awards literacy program that honors adult learners and tutors,” said Dennis M. DeRossett, executive director. “By now having the ability to read and to write, these honorees have new opportunities for a much better life for themselves and their families. We congratulate them for breaking through the barriers of illiteracy.”
Last year adult literacy programs that received grant funding provided educational services to 20,837 adult students. A total of 8,193 volunteer tutors statewide provided instruction to help students develop and enhance their reading, writing, math and language skills. Persons interested in becoming volunteer tutors are urged to contact the Illinois Adult Learning Hotline at 1-800-321-9511.