Opinion: Local leaders share love of reading

Here at the Springfield Business Journal we freely admit that we have a vested interest in promoting literacy, the lifelong pleasure and sheer necessity of reading. SBJ photos are good and getting better all the time, but this is not a picture book. It is your interest in printed words – specifically the words published in weekly issues all year long – that keep this newspaper alive.

The Ozarks Literacy Council’s recent fundraising campaign, “Leaders & Readers,” stresses the belief that widespread adult basic literacy improves individual lives, family security and the economy of the entire community.

Many successful people attribute their continued success to continued learning, and most read books, newspapers and magazines in order to survive in our information-dependent world.

According to information gathered by the Literacy Council, the rapid population growth in Greene County in the last 10 years (more than 15 percent) means that at least 72,000 people in the county, and 150,000 in the region, endure the everyday stress and economic difficulties stemming from lack of full literacy.

The answer to the problem lies in one-on-one tutoring, and the good news from OLC is that although this method is volunteer-intensive, it is highly effective. The average adult learner can raise his or her reading level two full grades with just 80 hours of tutoring. This much improvement can raise an individual’s earning power over 40 percent, meaning that adult basic literacy improves not only individual lives, but also family security.

The organization’s basic literacy program also encompasses corrections literacy work in the Greene County Jail and Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, where more than 60 percent of inmates are illiterate and 85 percent of juvenile offenders have reading difficulties.

English for Speakers of Other Languages, also known as English as a Second Language, has also become a critically important issue in our area over the last decade and will continue to be vital as the Ozarks population diversifies.

OLC is working to offer individual and small group classes to new residents regardless of their native language. Current and recent clients include speakers of Spanish, Mandarin and several languages of Africa and Eastern Europe.

The following list of Ozarks Literacy Council’s Leaders & Readers contributed at least $50 apiece in the 2005 campaign to increase literacy in southwest Missouri by providing free tutoring and learning services to those unable to read or write:

C.M. Fuller, Steven Gardner, Lin and Shannon Thomason, Joe Turner, Marlene Chism, Paula Brisco, Norma Vinson, Brad Heeren, Ruscell Pavlin, Jan O’Rear, Jennifer Jackson, Sheryl Letterman, Peggy Kubicek, Clarissa French, Andis Osis, Mary Allison, Emily Dake Inman, Joe and Linda Tucker, Bonnie Watkins, Ron and Dona Elkins, Cy Bortner, Marla Calico, Teresa Blair, Paul Potthoff, Angie Harrell, the Funk family, Darla A. Harmon, John and Sinara O’Donnell, Cynthia Ruzicka, Paula Shumaker, Brad Eldridge, Barbara Page, Jan Bradley, Willaim Turner, Michael Sowers, Don Pohl, Tom and Marsha Slaight, Rob Baird, Michael Lafaro, Connie Easterly and Greg Williams.

Ozarks Literacy Council is still looking for volunteers and donors to join the Leaders and Readers Club. OLC has requested statements from area businesspeople giving the name of their favorite book or books that have impacted their business lives.

The organization, which recently moved into space provided by Missouri State University in the South Street building formerly occupied by Great Southern, wants to use these quotes in upcoming newsletters and publicity.

Seven Levels of Literacy

Level 1. Nonreader; nonwriter.

Level 2. Reads common signs (McDonald’s, traffic signs); recognizes a majority of the letters in his/her name; can print name.

Level 3. Reads simple stories; writes simple sentences (spells sounds); uses cursive writing; adds and subtracts.

Level 4. Reads a newspaper, uses basic math functions; completes simple application forms; understands general principles of citizenship.

Level 5. Reads magazines, interprets tables, charts, forms and indexes; can balance checkbook; can plan and execute personal budget; can maintain diary or journal; uses complex arithmetic to solve problems; can discuss contemporary social problems and scientific issues, situations in other contexts.

Level 6. Reads prose and poetry; interprets warranties and operational manuals; writes expository material with variety of sentence structure and logical organization; computes as daily needs demand; takes active role as productive citizen in democratic society; applies scientific processes in solving personal problems.

Level 7. Uses printed and written information to function in society; is able to set realistic goals and plan reasonable means for achieving them; assesses own knowledge and plans ways for gaining information needed; feels obligated to work for the welfare of those less mature and fortunate; assumes leadership role in community, in the broadest sense of the term; produces written material for use by others as opportunities and/or needs permit.

Information provided by Ozarks Literacy Council.

Dianne Elizabeth Osis is the Springfield Business Journal publisher.

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