Audrey Carrington, director of the Bradford-Wyoming County Literacy Program, erected a banner on the courthouse lawn in Tunkhannock on Tuesday proclaiming Sept. 23 to 29 National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.
Photos and story by Rick Hiduk
Bradford-Wyoming County Literacy Program (BWCLP) director Audrey Carrington visited the Wyoming County Commissioners on Tuesday and helped them proclaim Sept. 23 to 29 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. She later staked a claim on the courthouse lawn with a new banner to draw attention to the value of adult literacy to the county.
Figures in the proclamation indicate that 36 million Americans lack basic reading and writing skills, and even more lack basic math skills and the credentials to succeed in post-secondary education. This puts a strain on the economic progress of America, which is expected to be short 7.5 million private sector workers by 2020 due to the deficiencies.
Carrington sat through a discussion about Wyoming County’s prison overpopulation dilemma prior to the start of the Commissioner meeting and shared some additional figures to drive home the importance of literacy. Those who lack basic reading and writing skills are roughly twice as likely to be unemployed, three times more likely to be in poverty, four times more likely to be unhealthy, and eight times more likely to be incarcerated, she noted.
The mission of the BWCLP is to “provide free and confidential instruction for adults and teenagers in reading, writing, math and English language skills so that they may reach their fullest potential in life and participate productively in their community.”
Commissioner Judy Mead asked Carrington to have BWCLP reach out to the directors of the Meshoppen Public Library, which is currently challenged by a lack of patronage, to see if some BWCLP programs might be conducted there where additional educational resources, including computers, are readily available.
EMHR Director Makes Bid for Support
The Endless Mountains Heritage Region serves Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties, always striving to give each county equal attention and proportionate funding for projects. Nonetheless, Wyoming County has remained one of two counties that has not given any financial support to EMHR in return (the other being Susquehanna County.)
On Tuesday, new EMHR director Cain Chamberlin (above) made his first official visit to the Wyoming County Commissioners, including Judy Mead who is the county’s EMHR representative and served as one of its founders. He highlighted some of the projects that EMHR has supported in the county, to the tune of $450,000 since 1998.
The Wyoming County Cultural Center has utilized EMHR funding in recent years to develop the Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tour, the River Towns Bus Tour, and the Explore Wyoming County’s Parks & Trails project. EMHR has also contributed to the Howland Preserve, the Nicholson Heritage Association, Laceyville’s Oldest House, and the Seneca Trail project, while also serving as stewards of the North Branch Susquehanna River as it flows through Wyoming County.
Chamberlin noted that the EMHR is working on new bylaws and potential changes to board structure and is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary at an annual business meeting and luncheon slated for Friday, Oct. 12 in Wysox. The EMHR has recently moved into new offices at 602 Main Street in Towanda and will host an open house and opportunity for others to meet Chamberlin from 3 to 6 pm on Sept. 26.
Commissioner Henry agreed that the EMHR has done a lot to enhance Wyoming County’s historical, recreational and heritage-based assets and promised to give the proposal for financial support Chamberlin left for him sincere consideration.
Other Topics Discussed
Henry noted that discussions have begun with department heads on the 2019 budget. New computers, he added, have made the initial process tedious but should help in the long run.
The commissioners ratified the resignation of corrections officer Joseph Fiore from the Wyoming County Correctional Facility and signed a language contract for the jail. Josie Olsen of Language Services Associates from Philadelphia has been the county’s go-to for translation for several years, and her services will now be accessible to the prison warden. Henry noted that Olsen was also instrumental in assisting with the recent flood buyouts in Meshoppen, where a number of Spanish-speaking individuals reside.