© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

P.O. Box 21029
Charleston, SC 29413-1029

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Organizations seek to educate area residents
Literacy and computer skills at the heart of the training

JULY 29, 2003 - Jay Tiedemann of the Trident Literacy Association ("TLA"), and George Rose of the South Carolina Center for Family Programs ("SCCFP") discussed with Rotarians the various services offered by TLA and SCCFP to educate and empower area residents.

Tiedemann began his talk with sobering statistics about how crucial literacy - defined in part as the ability to read, write and speak English - is in our society. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the ability to do the basics of signing one's name and filling out a bank deposit slip, and 5 being the ability to integrate information from high level documents, 23% of the United States population is at level 1, compared with 3% at level 5.

In Charleston, 52% of the population is in levels 1 and 2, compared with 27% in levels 1 and 2 in Mt. Pleasant. Level 1 is not a place one aspires to be: 43.1% of level 1 people nationwide are below the poverty line, and 75% of level 1 and 2 people nationwide receive food stamps. Of all prisoners nationwide, 70% are level 1 or 2 on the literacy scale.

The TLA seeks to curb illiteracy through courses on adult basic education, English as a second language, computer basics, and GED preparation. The TLA is celebrating its 30th year in operation.

The SCCFP, which started in 2002, seeks to provide access to information technology and to develop computer-based skills for low-income families in Charleston County. Through a collaboration of family, school, court, community and business, called the "Charleston Model", SCCFP provides a stepping stone to opportunity, equality, and civic participation. SCCFP provides computer-based courses including literacy, drug assessment and treatment, and GED courses

-- Amy Jenkins

• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
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• 2003