The Portage County Literacy Council provides instruction in reading, writing, math and/or English as a second language to local adults that identify poor literacy skills as a barrier to achievement of personal goals.

Description:
The Literacy Council was established in 1987 and has been in continuous operation serving the needs of adults with literacy problems (reading, writing, math and English as a second language). Volunteers are given up to 10 hours of training before being assigned to a learner. They are expected to meet for 2 hours per week addressing the learner's expressed literacy needs.

History:
The Literacy Council began using volunteers to address literacy needs of native born individuals that did not thrive in K-12 education. As new Hmong refugees arrived in the late 80s and early 90s focus was expanded to include volunteer help for adult English language learners. In 2003, the Literacy Council added small ESL classes and in 2004 served 137 learners. Most were learning English having arrived in the area speaking primarily Spanish of Hmong.

Contact person: Anne Sell, Literacy Program Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Address:

209 Nelson Hall 1209 Fremont Street Stevens Point, WI 54481 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.pocolit.org

Directions:

Downtown Stevens Point in walkway across from Jim Laabs Music, and between Lee Ayers Jewelers and ImesEye Care.

Last updated on December 2, 2011