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Adults Learning to Read with State Help
(IRN)-Last year the Illinois State Library Literary Office helped about 20,000 adult students work on their reading and writing skills. Eleven of those students were honored Wednesday at the state library in Springfield.

"I couldn't read about every other word," said Edward Whitt, 42, of Flora. Whitt, who was one of the 11 student award winners, has dyslexia, something that caused him problems in school growing up.

"At one point in my life didn't have a job, I was in between, and I was told about the program. So I started into it and then I got more into when I started to know I was going to have a little one," he said, referring to his young daughter.

Whitt says he wanted to be able to read to his daughter so he started the program in 2002 and has seen his reading ability increase by three grade levels.

There are 20,000 other students in Illinois like Whitt who are working on their reading and writing skills. But Secretary of State Jesse White, who also serves as the state's librarian, says none of it would be possible without the 8,000 volunteers who help the adult students.

Ten volunteer teachers were also honored at the event.

(Source: Illinois Radio Network)
05 12 11 by Newsroom
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