Summer/Fall Sessions Begin Following a Record Breaking Year

The Literacy Alliance’s 2024-2025 learning year got underway on July 8th! In addition to almost 50 volunteer tutors throughout the community, there are now 33 small group classes from the Beaches to Baldwin and Keystone Heights! Available classes include literacy, English Language Learning, GED prep, and even new offerings for job certifications in food safety, online safety and Google Workspace.

Our big start followed a record breaking year in 2023-2024, which ended with a record enrollment of 995 students participating in instruction. This enrollment milestone reflects a 70% growth in adult learners continuing their education over the past five years.

Among the Literacy Alliance’s many supporters, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) in particular was instrumental in this growth by approving the Literacy Alliance as an adult education provider. This recognition makes the Literacy Alliance the only nonprofit in the state partnering with the FDOE on instruction, and we hope to lead the way for other nonprofits around the state to do the same.

New classes underway this month at locations throughout the community including this one at the Jessie Ball duPont Center downtown.

Literacy Alliance students attending the first ServSafe food safety class of the summer/fall session also at "The Jessie." These classes uniquely combine adult education with job certifications.

Ms. Ruthel, one of the Literacy Alliance's reading students, at the most recent Celebration of Success with Jacksonville Housing Authority Brentwood site host, Delois Wyman (L), and teacher Sherri Jackson (R).

Ruthel Reads

The Literacy Alliance started in 1969 as Learn to Read Jacksonville and focused on providing one-on-one tutoring for adults with beginning literacy skills. While today the organization offers a wide range of adult education including GED preparation and adult high school completion, building basic literacy skills is still the foundation of our mission.

Ruthel is one of the Literacy Alliance’s beginning reading students who participates in our Brentwood class. She also sees her tutor once a week after her Wednesday class session. During class, Ruthel is known for always being willing to read aloud. She is usually the first one to volunteer and is known for saying, “there are some big words here, but I’ll try!”

Everyone admires Ruthel’s courage!

Smiling Through the Tears

Success stories continue with last month’s graduation for the Corrections Education Classes in partnership with the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. One of the recent graduates was Leah. In class, Leah often talked about her grandmother, “Nana.” She had set a goal to get her diploma before she was released and to make her Nana proud. Leah worked hard. Not only did she regularly attend class, she studied with her tutor to get extra help in math.

After receiving her diploma at the graduation ceremony in the courtroom of the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, Leah sat back down, took a breath, and turned to her mom and Nana behind her in the audience. All of them started to cry and smile at the same time. Congratulations Leah. Everyone is proud of you!

Leah with Barbara, one of the many volunteer tutors.

Members of the Literacy Alliance team (and guests) talk to potential volunteers and students at the recent Northside Community Involvement Outreach Event.

Northside Literacy and GED Partnership

The Literacy Alliance creates more access to adult education through tutoring and neighborhood-based small group classes. One of our strongest partners and host of some classes is Northside Community Involvement (NCI).

Located off Avenue B, around the corner from Cleveland Road, and at the site of the Northside Church of Christ, NCI hosts morning and evening classes for GED prep and literacy skill building.

Are you in the Northside area and interested in enrolling or know someone who is? Call the Literacy Alliance office today!

The Literacy Alliance is generously supported by individual donors and the following partners.

The Thomas M. and Irene B. Kirbo Charitable Foundation