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According to a U.S. Department of Education study, 32 million adults in our country cannot read, a troubling statistic. But September is National Literacy Month, a time for stressing the importance of reading for people of all ages. Many programs are available to assist those who wish to learn.



A little history

In colonial times, parents were largely responsible for teaching children to read. However, in the mid-1600s, the laws in both Massachusetts and Connecticut mandated that everyone learn to read—adults, children, servants and apprentices. Today, literacy encompasses not only the reading of books but also the ability to navigate our ever-expanding digital landscape.


Benefitting children

Studies show that the educational achievement of parents is a great motivator for their children to succeed in school. According to studies by the American Academy of Pediatrics, how well children can read by the time they enter the third grade indicates how high their chances are of graduating from high school, and, beyond that, of succeeding in the workplace.


Family literacy programs

Family literacy refers to making reading a family activity. When books are available at home, parents can read to their young children. The children, in turn, will benefit from the parents’ positive attitude toward education and the opportunity for further learning. Various government-sanctioned programs are available for reading instruction. Here in Bradenton, Project Light of Manatee provides beginner to advanced English language proficiency courses for participants 18 years of age and older. The organization is part of the Suncoast Adult Literacy Alliance (SALA), a collaboration of local non-profits that focuses on both adult and family literacy. Included are the Manatee Literacy Council, the Literacy Council of Sarasota and the Literacy Volunteers of South Sarasota County.


Helping immigrants

Only 53% of immigrants in the U.S. are proficient English speakers. As we have seen, helping adults to read and write benefits their children. In fact, studies show that a mother’s reading skill is the leading determinant of her child’s future academic success. The English language courses offered by Project Light are designed to help adult students navigate daily life more easily and enjoy greater success in their chosen careers. Courses include listening, reading comprehension, writing and speaking.

Project Light also offers courses in basic computer skills. In addition, the organization provides a program that helps immigrants prepare for U.S. Citizenship testing.


Looking ahead

Increased literacy leads to higher employment rates. It also helps to reduce dependence on public assistance and to better life in our communities. Our ancestors in America had the right idea in acknowledging the value of reading for both adults and children. It is a concept we carry forward today with help from local non-profits and targeted reminders such as National Literacy Month.


Contacts:

Project Light of Manatee, Inc., Elena Farkas, Executive Director. (941) 745-1659. www.projectlightofmanatee.org

Manatee Literacy Council, Michelle McLean, Executive Director. (941) 746-8197. www.manatee-literacy.org

Literacy Council of Sarasota, Tom Melville, Executive Director. (941) 955-0421. www.sarasotaliteracy.org

Literacy Volunteers of South Sarasota County, Sue Spayd. (941) 861-1352. www.literacychangeslives.org


Updated: Sep 24, 2023

By Sandy Chase



Pam Steen, board secretary, facilities manager, and mentor/teacher continues to ensure that Project Light brightens the lives of adults wanting to learn and/or improve their English so they can teach their children; become citizens; master computer skills; and learn about the job-search process—ultimately giving back to their community.

Pam has always been on a mission. Teaching people of all cultures has enhanced her life while helping to bolster theirs. Volunteering at PL fulfills those goals.

Executive Director Elena Farkas says, “I’ve known Pam as a teacher and board member. She always steps up when I need extra help. Pam loves her students and interacting with others.”



Elena explains how Pam continues to improve PL, saying, “By teaching our students, she’s

gained special insight into how the school functions, critical for a board member. She also seeks donations and participates in our winter fundraiser.”

Elena affirms that her relationship with Pam has contributed to PL’s success: “By helping me expand my knowledge about the city and the Manatee County School District’s (MSD) history, she’s helped me better understand the dynamics of the community that the school serves.”

Pam has been a professional ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) educator since 1979. Applying a master's degree in Linguistics (University of Illinois), she’s taught listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills at public schools and community colleges. Additionally, being bilingual (Spanish certification), she’s instructed that language.

Before joining PL, Pam had retired from MSD as an ESOL specialist, training teachers who

pursued an ESOL endorsement so they could teach English language learners while complying with state laws.

Elena speaks for many when she says that Pam advocates for low-income communities in a variety of ways.

“She helps foster our mission by attending Project Light events organized by the MSD, meeting with parents—spreading the word about PL’s quality day and evening adult classes. She distributes books and supplies—always leaving the message that it’s essential for parents to learn and read English so they can be role models for their children.”

Pam is always available to her students—and other PL learners—providing them with her cell phone number.

Through mentoring, she also encourages students to support their children—enhancing family life. Leah has benefited tremendously from Pam’s dedication and philanthropy. By providing guidance, information, and financial assistance, she’s brightened Leah’s path to financial independence.


Besides mentoring, Pam has helped contribute money for a two-bedroom rental apartment so that Leah and her son, AZ, could move out of her mother’s home and start anew. Promoted full-time as a manager at an Ellenton Outlet shoe store, Leah has become more financially responsible, paying for utilities, food, and other expenses. What’s more important, Leah can now support her son so he can succeed in elementary school—and the future.

“Leah has a tremendous work ethic—tackling tasks quickly and with fervor,” says Pam.

“Educated in Manatee schools, Leah helps AZ with his academics. And it’s paid off multifold because he’s now in advanced math. She’s been looking for a soccer team/league so he can enjoy the life of an active third grader.”

Deflecting the spotlight, Pam beams: “Leah is making it on her own.”


Leah has only praise for her dear friend:

“I had the pleasure of meeting Pam while working at the mall. Little did I know that our teacher-student relationship would one day turn into a genuine friendship that I would cherish for the rest of my life. Pam inspires me, encouraging me through my life's obstacles and even lending her time to care for my son and help him with school studies. She’s an angel on Earth.”

  • Why do you volunteer at Project Light?

After retiring, I learned that Elena had developed a curriculum focused on different proficiency

levels for PL students. Impressed, I wanted to get behind it. Some of my friends in the ESOL department urged me to learn more about the new, improved PL, and they thought I could volunteer there.

  • Why did you join the board of directors?

Soon after, one of my former colleagues, a Haitian woman, asked me to join PL as a board

member, and once I agreed, Board President Emeritus Charles Cunningham, who coordinates the

citizenship program, interviewed me. That was 3 1/2 years ago.

If I’m going to spend my retirement years pursuing my dream, I want my efforts to be quality

and well-spent. PL is a perfect fit.

  • How do you believe that you’re promoting the nonprofit’s mission?

I believe that my past career meshes with PL’s dedication to teaching adults English language

skills, empowering students to function at home, succeed on the job, and improve the

community.

I’ve been teaching Level 2 (of six levels) English writing for two years. I invited my students to

an MSD Back-to-School event at Manatee Technical College (I manned a booth) so they could

build some career goals by seeing the high-quality programs offered at the school.


  • Besides writing and distributing monthly minutes, what other responsibilities do you have as a board member?

All board members were asked to assume an additional role, and I chose facilities manager

because I had renovated a few houses, and I believed I could be an asset.

Since that time, we did some landscaping: planted bushes, cut trees; and cleaned the area.

Perhaps this winter we’ll ask students, the board, and others to help with improving the grounds.

  • What are PL’s challenges? Rewards?

Let me begin with our rewards. Because of the foresight of so many: our altruistic volunteers, professional staff, and dedicated sponsors, our students are succeeding and achieving their academic/employment goals. You can hear their pride when they share how PL is helping them help their children.

Unfortunately, challenges exist. But PL is determined to persevere—refurbishing our building and improving our programs.

I need to provide some history. Our original building—an old garage—has been converted to six classrooms, offices, and a library. We no longer have the thrift store to help with financing. 

Board President Cheryl Evans has sought out new avenues of funding, and PL looks forward to making more money available when we hold our annual December fundraiser. 

But we need financial support for making repairs and other improvements—another challenge to upgrading our building. We sought bids during COVID, but many businesses weren’t available.

We couldn’t find employees who could do the work we needed.

But we were fortunate to receive a grant from the Selby Foundation for 40K, which we used towards upgrading and painting our building façade; getting a new door and hurricane windows; installing entry awnings; and resealing and painting our fenced-in parking lot. 

Even with our repairs, we need to reroof. We’re slowly setting aside money in our roofing fund.

But we need 30K, so we’ll have to seek a grant.

Elena is working with Cool Today to determine what needs to be done to create better air flow inside the building.

Rewards outweigh our challenges. We’re determined to support our students and—community.

  • Where else do you volunteer?

I volunteer on my condo’s grounds beautification committee. I don’t have much time to focus on

other volunteering.


  • What are your pastimes?

I enjoy decorating my new condo, walking my dog, meeting friends for lunch and dinner, and gardening when the weather’s cooler.

  • What would you tell others who are interested in volunteering?

Volunteering is like exercise. Once you do it, you feel so much better. Volunteering at PL is win-win because the adults you mentor feel better too.

Project Light Of Manatee Inc. is thrilled to announce the reception of a generous grant of $225,000 from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. This grant will significantly bolster Project Light's efforts to enhance its educational programs and improve its overall infrastructure to better serve its students and instructors.


The grant will be utilized to achieve several key objectives that align with Project Light's mission:


  1. Stipends for Qualified Instructors: The grant will facilitate the provision of stipends to highly qualified instructors, enabling them to dedicate their expertise and time to the educational development of Project Light's students. This support will foster a conducive environment for effective learning and growth.


  1. Technology Upgrades and Replacements: The funds will also be directed toward updating and replacing outdated technology resources used in Project Light's educational programs. This investment in modern tools will empower both instructors and students to engage in innovative and effective learning experiences.


  1. Part-Time Administrative Support Position: The grant will allow Project Light to establish a part-time administrative support position. This role will streamline the organization's operations, ensuring smoother coordination among various activities and enabling a more efficient delivery of services.


  1. Continued Comprehensive Support for Students: With this grant, Project Light will further expand its commitment to providing holistic support to its students. From educational resources to personal development assistance, the organization will continue to empower its students in every possible way.





"We are immensely grateful to the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation for their generous support," said Cheryl Evans, Board President of Project Light. "This grant will significantly amplify our ability to make a lasting impact on the lives of our students and instructors. The Foundation's dedication to philanthropy resonates deeply with our mission, and we are excited to collaborate to create positive change in the community."


As the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation states, "The Charles and Margery Barancik family has long believed in the power of philanthropy to shape our world and enrich the lives of all people. It was the expression of this belief that led them in 2014 to establish Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation—a private, family foundation located in Sarasota, Florida. Barancik Foundation creates initiatives and awards grants in Sarasota and beyond in the areas of education, humanitarian causes, arts and culture, the environment, and medical research. For more information, visit barancikfoundation.org."

This collaboration between Project Light and the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation exemplifies the potential of strategic partnerships in driving positive change and fostering educational equity.


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Project Light of Manatee, Inc.

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1104 14th Street West

Bradenton, FL 34205

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(941) 745-1659

Project Light is a non-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code 501 (c)(3). EIN No. 65-0490652

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