Education
September 8, 2010
Minister Recognizes
International Literacy Day with
Presentation of Literacy Award
In celebration of International Literacy
Day, the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, joined
representatives of Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador and members of the
literacy community for a proclamation signing. Minister King also
presented this year's Council of the Federation (COF) Literacy Award to
Robin Grant, executive and artistic director, and founder of For the
Love of Learning Incorporated.
"I offer my congratulations to Ms. Grant,
and on behalf of those she has helped and creatively inspired through
For the Love of Learning, I thank her for her contribution and continued
dedication to supporting literacy in our province," said Minister King.
"One size does not fit all when it comes to education and learning. Ms
Grant recognizes this and has made the development of reading and
writing skills an integral part of her organization's mandate. Ms. Grant
recognizes, as we do, that with solid literacy skills, anyone can
succeed."
The COF Literacy Award recognizes
outstanding contributions made by Canadians across the entire spectrum
of the literacy field, including family, Aboriginal, health, workplace
and community literacy. Each year, the award is presented to educators,
volunteers, learners, community organizations or businesses in each
province and territory.
"Literacy is the cornerstone for all
success," said Minister King. "It opens up opportunities to learn, to
succeed, and to contribute to society. Strong literacy skills ensure our
people prosper and our communities remain productive. This is why the
Provincial Government is making significant investments in literacy and
adult learning."
Approximately $40 million has been
allocated for literacy since 2004. This includes funding to expand Adult
Basic Education Level I (ABE) and the Comprehensive Arts and Science
(CAS) College Transition program at College of the North Atlantic, as
well as $500,000 per year in adult literacy grants which are provided to
community-based organizations.
A scholarship program was also introduced
to help GED, CAS or ABE graduates with the cost of post-secondary
education, funded by the Provincial Government and the Labour Market
Agreement. For 2010-11, $100,000 in grants are available through this
program. As well, an adult literacy plan has been developed and will be
released in the coming months.
"Our government is investing
significantly in literacy initiatives," said Minister King, "But we
cannot do it alone. Like any good plan, it will take team work to
succeed, with each partner — people like Robin Grant — contributing
individual strengths to reach the common goal. We depend on community
organizations, the federal government and engaged corporate citizens to
truly create a culture of learning and literacy that provides education
for all."
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Photo 1: The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, presents
Council of the Federation Literacy Award to this year's recipient,
Robin Grant.
Photo 2: The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, signs proclamation of International Literacy Day with stakeholders from the literacy community.
Front Row: Tom Dawe — Executive Director of Teachers on Wheels, Minister King, Caroline Vaughan — Executive Director of Literacy NL.
Back Row: Margaret Bartlett — adult learner at New Beginnings ABE program (Stella Burry Community Services), Jessica Lee Middleman — instructor at New Beginnings ABE program, Robin Grant
Media contact:
Tara Power
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 727-5953
tarapower@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Biographical Information on Robin Grant
Robin Grant is a professional writer,
researcher, producer and editor. Ms. Grant has a bachelor of arts
(English) from Memorial University and a journalism degree from King's
College. A dedicated community activist, Ms. Grant has a special
interest in youth and the elderly. Combining her passion for learning,
the arts, and activism, she founded and voluntarily runs For the Love of
Learning, Incorporated, an arts based not-for-profit organization
dedicated to the education and employment of resilient youth.
In May, 2008, Ms. Grant was short-listed
as one of three national finalists in the social action category of
Canadian Living
magazine's Me to We awards for her work with For the
Love of Learning. Ms. Grant was also profiled in the January 2009 issue
of Chatelaine magazine. The article entitled
How One Woman
Made a Difference
, focused on Canadians working to help improve
literacy skills in Canada.
2010 09 08
1:25 p.m.
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