Literacy

By LAURA ERNDE / Staff Writer photo: KEVIN G. GILBERT / staff photographer Michael Miller was a 16-year-old high school dropout who lost custody of his son because he couldn't help him with his homework or teach him to read. Recently, Miller got his GED. He regained custody of his son and is a student at Baltimore City Community College, where he has a 4.0 grade-point average. "It doesn't matter where you start, it counts where you decide to finish," Miller, of Baltimore, told a group of about 150 business leaders at the Four Points Sheraton Wednesday morning.

HAGERSTOWN For Karlee Forcini, Washington County Reading Day meant finding a few new additions to her 1,000-book collection at home. For elementary school librarian Janice Hauver, it meant being photographed with a few of her favorite authors. For author Carolyn Reeder, it meant being able to see what other children's writers were up to. Children, teachers and writers commingled Saturday for Partners in Literacy's third annual Reading Day at the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown.

Discovery Station officially welcomed a new exhibit Tuesday with the "Go Figure!" hands-on children's exhibit. "'Go Figure!' is a 700-square-foot exhibit where popular children's books are brought to life in gigantic reproductions of original illustrations," said Marie Byers the Discovery Station's volunteer executive director. "This interactive exhibit came to us from the Minnesota Children's Museum, and is a terrific math and literacy exhibit, targeted for children ages 2 through 10. " The ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled to include the Mayor of Hagerstown Robert E. Bruchey II, museum board members and volunteers and local officials.

LaMarc Hilliard, a fifth-grader at Emma K Doub Elementary School who wrote a story on his iPad about a turkey helping a chicken find treasure that was stolen by a group called the “bling bling crew,” was able to project what he wrote from his iPad to a screen in the front of his class as part of the school's digital writing showcase event Tuesday. Students demonstrated to family and friends at the school digital portfolios they have built since the beginning of the school year after receiving an iPad or an iPod touch.

The Judy Center's Big M.a.C.T. group (Men and Children Together) of Bester Elementary School visited Home Depot on Jan. 9, as one of the group's literacy events. Each child completed a building project of his or her choice, such as a ship, plane, car or truck. This popular program encourages male involvement and supports the family literacy initiative.

Fairview Elementary School first-grade teacher Angie Cales listens Wednesday as Kaylen Cool, 7, left, and Madison Kennedy, 6, read a Dr. Seuss book as part of Read Across America Day, sponsored by the National Education Association. The Waynesboro, Pa., elementary school was among thousands of schools nationwide that marked the occasion of Dr. Seuss' birthday with special events focused on literacy.

On June 29, the Rotary Club of Hagerstown held its traditional Alpha Omega meeting. Club President Gaye McGovern passed the gavel to incoming president David Hanlin.   Other incoming club officers were recognized: W. Chris Motz will serve as vice president/president-elect; Michael S. Johnston, sergeant-at-arms; Jef Bohn, treasurer; Russ Townsley, secretary; and Curt Dudda, assistant secretary. In her comments to the members, McGovern talked about the many achievements of the club over the year just ending.

As 21st-century teenagers, we are constantly using technology - cell phones, computers, iPods, etc. And apparently, none of us take the time to read a book. At least, that is the stereotype. But is this assumption based on truth? A recent study by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) showed that the reading scores of 17-year-olds who took standard tests have steadily decreased since 1999. Also, nearly half of all Americans ages 18 to 24 do not read books for pleasure.

"It's Never Too Early" is the slogan chosen by the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Development and Services for their birth-to-5 literacy campaign. Never too early, that is, to introduce children to the library and to the joy of books. Often referred to as early literacy, this early introduction focuses on fostering a healthy and joyful attitude toward books, reading and learning. The Washington County Free Library is dedicated to providing opportunities for our youngest county residents to enjoy early literacy.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Young artists inspired by Chambersburg Reads' theme of "Northwest Wilderness Adventures" created art in downtown Chambersburg on Oct. 11. Area students in grades 6 to 12 painted The Capitol Theatre Center's windows in time for AppleFest on Oct. 18. Chambersburg Reads is a collaboration of nonprofit groups promoting reading and literacy throughout the community. Every two years, a theme is selected, and events are planned with the purpose of encouraging reading.

Much has been written about the need for higher education. But before we can succeed at higher education, we must succeed at lower education, and this involves basic literacy. The numbers in Washington County in relation to the rest of the state speak for themselves. Across Maryland as a whole, 82 percent of kindergartners are considered to be “fully school ready,” but in Washington County that number is only 75 percent. In the areas of language and literacy, only 63 percent of our children are considered “school ready.” And the numbers are even worse within the City of Hagerstown itself.

LaMarc Hilliard, a fifth-grader at Emma K Doub Elementary School who wrote a story on his iPad about a turkey helping a chicken find treasure that was stolen by a group called the “bling bling crew,” was able to project what he wrote from his iPad to a screen in the front of his class as part of the school's digital writing showcase event Tuesday. Students demonstrated to family and friends at the school digital portfolios they have built since the beginning of the school year after receiving an iPad or an iPod touch.

In the year since the first Childhood Literacy Summit was held, there are more programs available in Washington County to boost children's reading skills, and the numbers show they need the help. Across Maryland, 82 percent of kindergarten students are considered “fully school ready,” but the figure is 75 percent in Washington County, said David Hanlin, chairman of the Rotary Literacy Council. The Rotary Club of Hagerstown sponsored the second annual summit Friday at Hagerstown Community College, along with the Washington County Public Schools and Washington County Free Library, with corporate sponsorship from the Volvo Group.

Seventeen teams matched wits Sunday in a competition that put their trivia skills to the test while helping to promote literacy in the Eastern Panhandle. The 16th annual Brain Games, a fundraiser for Literacy Volunteers of the Eastern Panhandle, was held at James Rumsey Technical Institute. The competition consisted of four rounds of 25 written questions.  Teams of up to six people had 15 minutes to answer each round of questions. Each correct answer earned a team a point. "S" Words for $400, Alex, The Herald-Mail Co. team, won the event with a score of 71. The team has won the contest seven times and has been the victor in the last four games, said team member Bob Fleenor, a five-time “Jeopardy!

Rotary's Guatemala Literacy Project has received a donation from the Rotary Club of Long Meadows. The funds will go toward providing school children in Guatemala with books and other materials to promote literacy in a country that has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world. Sila Alegret-Bartel, International Service Committee chairwoman for Rotary Club of Long Meadows, accepted the funds on behalf of the international project. Early literacy training is critical to the success of a child's later education.

Christy Mundey had many struggles in her life. The Silver Spring, Md., native was told many years ago that she read on a fourth-grade level, and could do math on a fifth-grade level. She had depression and a learning disability, both of which went undiagnosed for years. But these days, things are looking up. The 57-year-old Hagerstown resident is honing her reading and math skills, thanks to the Literacy Council of Washington County, and her volunteer tutor, Brenda Horsch. The pair has met for about an hour nearly every week since May 2012, and on Tuesday, Horsch presented Mundey with a certificate for completing her first book.

The Cat in the Hat paid a visit to Spread Your Wings Learning Center Preschool students at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hagerstown on Wednesday but unlike the character in the book, left no mess to clean up. “She read a book to us,” Aniyah McFarlane, 4, of Hagerstown, said. “I liked giving (the Cat in the Hat) a hug.” Dr. Seuss' most famous character, played by Lisa Conrad, of Hagerstown, read “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish,” another book by the author, to six students there Wednesday morning.

More than 1,000 children under school age in Washington County will receive one free book a month under the Imagination Library program started by country music singer Dolly Parton. Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox, community leaders, and a group of students in Head Start of Washington County were at Elgin Station on Thursday morning for a kickoff celebration for Imagination Library, launched by Parton in 1996. “This program is focused on helping our kids to appreciate literature, read, and become more proficient in reading,” Wilcox said.

Washington County Public Schools officials emphasized the school system's renewed focus on improving students' literacy skills last week after information about high school assessment test results from the 2011-12 school year was released by the Maryland State Department of Education. Systemwide, the school system missed proficiency targets for reading among five population groups: all students, black students, white students, special-education students and students who received free or reduced-priced meals, said Jeremy Jakoby, testing and accountability supervisor for the local school system.

Tom Geiman of Chambersburg knows what it's like to pick up a book and not be able to read it. He was 44 before he learned to read. Geiman was one of about 14 percent of U.S. adults who can't read. But now, Geiman, 61, not only is reading at college-level, but he helped coordinate Saturday's Ride to Read event in Chambersburg. The 61.4-mile motorcycle trek around Franklin County, celebrating the Franklin-Fulton READS program, began at M&S Harley-Davidson in Chambersburg, continued to Mount Holly Springs, Pa., and ended at Chambersburg Mall in Scotland, Pa. Saturday's event was one of many activities in the two-month community reading celebration to promote reading and literacy through the area, said Sally Herritt, treasurer of the Franklin-Fulton County READS program.