Matt and I watched Akeelah and the Bee last night (courtesy of the Netflix subscription that my mom and dad got Matt for Christmas...thanks!). If you haven't seen it, it's a movie that follows a girl from inner-city Los Angeles in her journey to advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. As I watched the film, I was reminded of the power of words and literacy. In the movie, Akeelah's gift was spelling. It opens up her world to new opportunities.
Lately, I've seen firsthand how reading opens up a person's world to new opportunities too. As you may remember, I started volunteering as an adult tutor at the Durham Literacy Center in January. I have been (and will continue to be) meeting with my student--a 50-year-old man--twice a week from now through August. During our first month of lessons, I've seen his ability to read improve right along with his confidence. It's truly a privilege to be a part of the process.
[NOTE: The Durham Literacy Center is participating in the Great Human Race next weekend in an effort to raise money. In the current economy, the DLC is struggling just like other non-profits and needs funds to make sure that it can continue to exist. I'll be adding a new post later today with a link to my fundraising page. Even if it's $5, every donation truly counts. So, if you have money that you'd like to give to a worthy cause, please consider giving to the DLC. I would greatly appreciate it.]
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