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May 23, 2007

Pat McGuckin
Henry Haupt

Jesse White, Illinois Press Assn. Announce Spotlight Awards For
Outstanding Literacy Students And Tutors

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and David Bennett, Executive Director of the Illinois Press Association, announced today the winners of Spotlight on Achievement and Spotlight on Service awards recognizing outstanding literacy students and tutors in Illinois.

The awards were presented at a luncheon coinciding with the annual Illinois Family Literacy Conference in Springfield.

"I am honored to congratulate these outstanding students for their desire to obtain lifelong learning skills," said Secretary White. "And I am proud of our ten outstanding tutors for their generosity and efforts to help literacy students achieve their utmost potential."

Ten winners were recognized for outstanding achievement in developing and improving their literacy skills. They are:

• Dorothy Bailey, a student at Blue Gargoyle Adult Learning Program in Chicago.
• Laura Beckham, a student at Lawrence Education Center, Springfield.
• Frances D'Agostin, who attends classes at The Literacy Council, Rockford.
• Joan Doubler, a literacy student at Black Hawk College, Moline.
• Patricia Hale, who enhanced her skills at a program at The Tolton Center, Chicago.
• David Hernandez, a student from Township District 214 Community Education, Arlington Heights.
• Carole Ann Krost, who attends literacy classes at Lake Land College, Mattoon.
• Beth Saylor and her children James, Kayle, Tyler and Dominick Saylor, who obtained literacy education at DeWitt-Livingston McLean Regional Office of Education, Normal.
• Bertha Steele, a student at Blue Gargoyle Adult Learning Program, Chicago.
• Claude A. Williams, who attends the Common Place Family Learning Center, Peoria.

The ten winners receive a $200 check from the Illinois Press Association Foundation, a plaque signed by Secretary White, a personalized Illinois Blue Book and ten books donated by Delta Systems.

Ten outstanding tutors were honored for their contributions in helping literacy students reach their goals. They are:

• Sammie Davis, a tutor at Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville.
• Shirley D. Hall, who teaches students at Lake Land College, Mattoon.
• Zeno Jacquat, who provides literacy training at Literacy Volunteers of Western Cook County, Oak Park.
• Gwen McNamara, a tutor from Township District 214 Community Education, Arlington Heights.
• Paul Mueller, who teaches students at Literacy Volunteers of Fox Valley, St. Charles.
• Donna Oleson, a teacher at Waubonsee Community College, Aurora.
• R. David Pschirrer, who provides literacy training at Spoon River College, Canton.
• A. Roseann Runyon, a volunteer tutor with the Regional Office of Education, Literacy Volunteers of America/Project U.P.W.A.R.D., Peoria.
• Marie Rutger, a tutor from Illinois Eastern Community College, Fairfield.
• Babette Simon, who teaches students at Oakton Community College, Skokie.

The ten Spotlight on Service winning tutors receive a plaque and personalized Illinois Blue Book from Secretary White, and $200 is donated by the Illinois Press Association Foundation to the literacy program where they serve as volunteer tutors.

"These wonderful individuals represent an ever-growing commitment in Illinois to make sure our citizens have the skills they need to be outstanding parents, spouses, employees and productive members of their communities," said White.

Last year nearly 24,000 adult students were served by adult literacy programs that receive grant funding from the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library Literacy Office. Nearly 9,500 volunteer tutors gave their time to help students develop and enhance their reading, writing, math and language skills. The Points of Light Foundation sets the value of a literacy volunteer hour at $18.97. Statewide, adult volunteer literacy tutors provided $17 million in volunteer hours last year.

"The Illinois Press Association is again pleased to be part of a significant effort to promote literacy in Illinois," said Bennett. "Obviously, the newspaper industry needs readers, but America needs readers as well. Being able to read and to comprehend what you read is essential to our democracy as well as personally satisfying, which is something I'm sure all of the Spotlight winners can attest to."

View the 2007 Spotlight on Achievement and Spotlight on Service winners