jst5150
05-06-2008, 08:09 PM
Good morning,
What follows is the most important request or favor I will ask or have asked of any of you since I've been a member here or any time into the future.
As poet laureate, I wanted to take on one charitble, nonprofit effort that affected all 22,000 of us on the AW Forums. ALL of us. And because we all have some interest in reading and writing; and because we all have some interest in our educational future, I'm offering you a link.
This link can connect you with hundreds of people who need you to help them learn to read. Or, they may need help getting a GED. Or, they may need help with something that could -- could -- help them take the next step in something bigger than themselves.
So, right now, stop. Find your calendar. Find two consecutive hours this week and for the next, say, six weeks. One for travel. The other so you can volunteer to help someone become more literate. Then, go find a program that matches the two hours you can give. Don't make excuses. Don't find other things to do. Don't be taken by the quick asides or being lazy. This is important.
And I will hold you accountable. I'll know you're involved when you respond to this thread. You can even cut and paste the response: "I am now helping someone learn to read." And provide some details on when and where.
Unless you have a project you are involved in or find one (through one of the means below or otherwise), don't respond to this thread. I want your response to be a catalyst to others; I want your volunteerism to ignite the flame in others. So, unless and until you can commit to that effort, avoid the 'post reply' button.
That tells me you've clicked on one of the links below, found a program you can be a part of and will endeavour to invest at least one night per week growing someone's future.
If you're already doing something like this or something else that grows the minds of young people and adults who need our help, thank you. If not, think about doing something like this.
My goal is by the end of my tenure as AW poet laureate, at least 25 of you will be involved in a sustained effort to get this done. Just 25 by June 15 out of 22,000? This is too easy, right?
There is nothing more important to me than helping young people and adults grow their literacy and, in turn, expand their horizons. There are 22,000 of you who interested in growing your own horizons by being here; why not take someone along with you?
Here are the links, US, Canada, UK and India:
US: America's Literacy Directory: http://www.literacydirectory.org/ Just type in your ZIp code and check for a travel range.
Canada: World Literacy of Canada. http://www.worldlit.ca/canada.html No "ZIP Code" access, but I'm sure you'll find a way.
UK: National Literacy Trust: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/nltprojects/index.html Link goes right to the projects page.
India: India Literacy Project. http://www.ilpnet.org/
What follows is the most important request or favor I will ask or have asked of any of you since I've been a member here or any time into the future.
As poet laureate, I wanted to take on one charitble, nonprofit effort that affected all 22,000 of us on the AW Forums. ALL of us. And because we all have some interest in reading and writing; and because we all have some interest in our educational future, I'm offering you a link.
This link can connect you with hundreds of people who need you to help them learn to read. Or, they may need help getting a GED. Or, they may need help with something that could -- could -- help them take the next step in something bigger than themselves.
So, right now, stop. Find your calendar. Find two consecutive hours this week and for the next, say, six weeks. One for travel. The other so you can volunteer to help someone become more literate. Then, go find a program that matches the two hours you can give. Don't make excuses. Don't find other things to do. Don't be taken by the quick asides or being lazy. This is important.
And I will hold you accountable. I'll know you're involved when you respond to this thread. You can even cut and paste the response: "I am now helping someone learn to read." And provide some details on when and where.
Unless you have a project you are involved in or find one (through one of the means below or otherwise), don't respond to this thread. I want your response to be a catalyst to others; I want your volunteerism to ignite the flame in others. So, unless and until you can commit to that effort, avoid the 'post reply' button.
That tells me you've clicked on one of the links below, found a program you can be a part of and will endeavour to invest at least one night per week growing someone's future.
If you're already doing something like this or something else that grows the minds of young people and adults who need our help, thank you. If not, think about doing something like this.
My goal is by the end of my tenure as AW poet laureate, at least 25 of you will be involved in a sustained effort to get this done. Just 25 by June 15 out of 22,000? This is too easy, right?
There is nothing more important to me than helping young people and adults grow their literacy and, in turn, expand their horizons. There are 22,000 of you who interested in growing your own horizons by being here; why not take someone along with you?
Here are the links, US, Canada, UK and India:
US: America's Literacy Directory: http://www.literacydirectory.org/ Just type in your ZIp code and check for a travel range.
Canada: World Literacy of Canada. http://www.worldlit.ca/canada.html No "ZIP Code" access, but I'm sure you'll find a way.
UK: National Literacy Trust: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/nltprojects/index.html Link goes right to the projects page.
India: India Literacy Project. http://www.ilpnet.org/