Highlights from the 2013 Florida Literacy Conference

Another great year for the Florida Literacy Conference! We had a fabulous turnout and several motivating speeches and sessions. The Conference started with keynote, Nelson Lauver. Nelson is the host of the American Storyteller Radio Journal and former Adult Learner. He told his story of how he learned that he had a learning disability and his ability to overcome it and work with it. We’re hoping to get a copy of the speech to post on our website in the future.

We had two and a half days filled with great sessions, but the most popular ones were the Adult Learner Experience and the Department of Education updates. In the Adult Learner Experience, members of the Adult Learner Committee spoke about their background and why they stayed in their literacy programs. Nelson was on the panel and a few students who were published in the Adult Learner Essay Book were able to read and share their story. Needless to say, everyone was moved.

On Thursday, FLC hosted it’s annual meeting. Executive Director, Greg Smith, provided an overview of the past year at our organization. He then opened the floor to adult learners who were there to read their essays. If you missed the meeting, you might be brought to tears from watching the video.

Jim Duffy was the closing keynote during the luncheon on Friday. Jim worked in broadcasting for 48 years and initiated a public service campaign on literacy. He incorporated the issue in programs and had television specials focused specifically on adults who could not read. Thousands of people joined literacy programs in their area as part of this campaign. The luncheon closed with the two drawings for a roundtrip ticket on Southwest Airlines. This year’s winners were Claire Valier and Paul Schaub!

What was your favorite part of Conference? Share it with us! Send your story to socialmedia@floridaliteracy.org .

Social Media at Conference

The Opening General Session is only ONE WEEK away! Can you smell the Atlantic Ocean yet?

One of our final posts before workshops start is to go over social media. We will be blogging during conference and giving recaps of great sessions and events. If you were at a session and had an amazing experience, let us know! We can set it up so you can blog during your breaks at one of the computer stations donated by Florida TechNet. You also can reflect on the experience as a whole and submit something after you’re back home. Either way, we’d love to hear about your experiences.

We’ll also have a text/twitter updates going on. If you text “Follow FlaLitCon2013″ to 40404, you can get text message updates on room changes, silent auction updates, and session reminders. If you plan on checking twitter frequently, follow us at @FlaLitCon2013.

For those who love tweeting great ideas! Be sure to include #flalitcon so those not at the conference can follow the conversation.

Don’t forget to check out our Conference Pinterest to stay updated on all the hotspots and happenings!

Can’t wait to see you there!

Here We Go- 2013 Silent Auction Preview

I have had the joy of working closely with some of you already, but for those of you who don’t know who I am please allow me to introduce myself.  I am Amanda Terrell and I’ve been working as the FLC’s Event Coordinator Intern since August 2012. My primary focus has been assisting in planning the 29^th annual Florida Literacy Conference as well as working on our very successful Tutor Symposium sessions held last November and handling tutor training material requests. As conference approaches, I am getting more and more excited about our silent auction. I want to share SOME of the MANY items we will have up for bidding during Conference!

• Admission tickets into Florida’s most exciting attractions, including: Walt Disney World, Great Explorations Children’s Museum (1 year membership!), Orlando City Soccer, Wonderworks, Central Florida Zoo, Bush Gardens, SeaWorld Orlando, and Kennedy Space Center. Make a family fun day out of any of these auction items!
• Two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S. that Southwest flies. There are no blackout dates and checking luggage is always free with Southwest! Go ahead and plan that trip you have always wanted take and plan it on your time.
• One night deluxe accommodations gift certificate to the beautiful JW Marriott in Orlando, Florida. This could make a perfect get away weekend where you could pamper yourself and whoever else you enjoy spending your time with!
• Gift cards and gift certificates to a number of places, including: Staples, Billy’s Bike Rentals, the KeyWest Express Cruise, The Florida Orchestra, The Florida Aquarium, and The Dali Museum.

All proceeds from the silent auction will help FLC support community based literacy organizations with their training and program development needs. The auction will be open for bids beginning Wednesday, May 8 at 8:30am and will close on Thursday, May 9 at 3:10pm.

Besides the items aforementioned, we will have many more fabulous gifts to bid on so be sure to stop by the silent auction tables and bring back something for your loved ones!

Do you or someone you know have something to donate for our silent action? Don’t fret! We are always happy to accept items for the silent auction! Please email me at Intern@FloridaLiteracy.org and I will be sure to get your item in for bidding!

“The Daughter” A poem from the 2013 Adult Learner Essay Book

Since April is poetry month, we are featuring a poem that will be published in the 2013 Essay Book, “Believing That You Can”. The essay book will debut at the Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 9 during the Florida Literacy Conference.

 

The Daughter

A baseball star always crowded by many friends,

A Fashion student always dressed to impress.

Both had Dreams set so up high,

yet habits they couldn’t control.

They Crossed paths and a month later they got the news.

A Daughter to call their own, Half of him and half of her.

The happiest day of their lives,

When they heard their little bundle start her first cries.

Still their dreams vanished, disappeared.

Lives crumbling down slowly, but surely,

They just couldn’t take control.

Their child would take on becoming something more than they had become

Shoving their hopes and dreams down her throat every chance they could.

Not knowing the pressure they put on her

would also tempt her and she would fall astray.

Feeling the pain flowing through her veins,

Their broken hearts and failed dreams.

They say it was never supposed to be this way.

Now 20 years later, a life of her own.

She cautiously looks back at her past mistakes and regrets.

Remembering her parents suffering,

with tears sliding down her cheek,

She whispers to herself: “I will not fail, I will not suffer

I will not continue to follow their footsteps.

I will be true to myself.”

Alexandra Hernandez is a 20 year old student. She was born in Arlington, Virginia. She now resides in Miami and is an ABE/GED student in Ms. Arriete’s class at The English Center, Miami, Florida.

 

Do you have your ticket to Florida Literacy Awards Banquet yet?

The Florida Literacy Awards Banquet is on Thursday, May 9 from 6:30-8:30. The banquet is a time to relax with peers as we highlight the many accomplishments in literacy over the past year. Awards will are given to adult learners, literacy practitioners, literacy programs, volunteers, and business partners. The awards that will be given include: the Mary J. Brogan Leadership Award, Flight for Freedom Award, Outstanding Literacy Volunteer Award, Excellence in Education Award, and Outstanding Business Partner Award. Author Angela Lane will be the keynote speaker for this inspiring night.

It’s not too late to reserve your spot!

For more information or to register for the event, please contact Amanda Terrell (intern@floridaliteracy.org).

Health Literacy and Sunscreen: The Important Letters to Know

Especially in Florida, summertime means sunscreen season.  It’s important to protect your skin when you’re outdoors, as well as knowing how to pick the correct sunscreen and how to apply it.  According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are a few basics that you, your students, and their families need to know.

Always read sunscreen labels, and only use products that offer:

• Broad-spectrum coverage (label may say “broad spectrum,” “protects against UVA/UVB” or “UVA/UVB protection”).
• SPF of 30 or higher.
• Water resistance.

Main messages to get across to students-

1.  Apply sunscreen (absolute minimum SPF 15) at least 15 minutes before you go outside.

2.  Re-apply sunscreen every two hours when outdoors.

3.  Use plenty of sunscreen to obtain maximum protection.  This is usually one ounce for the entire body, or the amount that can fill one shot glass.

3.  Whenever your shadow appears to be shorter than you are, find shade.

4.  It’s not just about sunscreen.  Wear protective clothing, including long sleeves, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

5.  Avoid the sun between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. if possible.

Literacy Awards Banquet Keynote: Angela Lane

Miami native, Angela Lane, grew up in Miami-Dade County, Florida, “in a world of endless possibilities limited only by self.”  The daughter of a Pentecostal minister, Ms. Lane traces some of her writer’s inspiration back to the sights and sounds in her father’s small church.  She explains, “I’m convinced that we are a product of our environment; it’s just that mine incorporated fantasy and faith.”

Ms. Lane’s debut picture book, Mommy, There’s A Giraffe in My Room!, was featured at the 2007 Miami Book Fair International and honored with a spot on the Florida Department of Education summer reading list, Just Read Florida! 2009.

Ms. Lane also serves as a legislative assistant to Florida State Representative Kionne McGhee, she writes and acts in contemporary stage plays, and she shares her love of books with young students on school visits.

The mother of three children, Ms. Lane lives in Miami with her husband, Robert.

For more information on the Florida Literacy Conference and the Awards Banquet, please visit our website.

 

Welcome to the South Seas Island Resort!

On behalf of the entire staff of South Seas Island Resort, I want to welcome those of you that will be joining us for the 29^th Annual Florida Literacy Conference being held at South Seas on beautiful Captiva Island, Florida, May 7, 2013 to May 10, 2013.

What can you expect from your trip to South Seas?  Relaxation and rejuvenation. 

South Seas is a sprawling tropical oasis, 330 acres and 2.5 miles long, framed by the tranquil blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pine Island Sound.  It’s best to think of South Seas as its own little village, consisting of two major areas: South Village and North Pointe.

South Village is where you’ll find your meeting rooms for the event, main reception center for check-in, your accommodations (Beach, Tennis and Bayside Villas), Chadwick’s Square for shopping and spa services (Starbucks in the morning, anyone?), tennis, and one of our staffed beach areas, South Beach.  Each of the villa areas has its own pool and SouthBeach has chairs, towels and umbrellas available during the day.  All of these areas are within easy walking distance to each other.

About 1 mile away is North Pointe, where you’ll find the Resort Pool Complex (featuring H2Whoa! waterslides), the Yacht Harbour, golf course, Harbourside Bar & Grill (serving Fish Market Cuisine nightly), Scoops & Slices (serving pizza, ice cream and a wall of candy), and my favorite spot, Sunset Beach.  Sunset Beach is our main beach area where we have Sunset Beach Bar, Sunny Island Watersports, a volleyball net, chairs, towels and umbrellas.  We have live music from 5pm – 8pm nightly and just as the sun sets each night, we have a special ceremony on the beach.

Moving between SouthVillage and North Pointe is easy.  We have a trolley service that runs continuously for all guests from 7am – 11pm, and bikes and golf carts are available for rent.  There will be a dedicated trolley for the FL Literacy Coalition during peak event times as well.  One of the best deals on the property is at check in when you’ll be asked if you’d like to rent a bike during your stay.  It’s only $5 per bike, per day, and you rent it for the duration of your stay, versus $15 per bike, per day if you elect to rent a la carte.  It’s a great way to travel throughout Captiva and South Seas at your own pace.

If you would like to learn more about South Seas, I encourage you to visit www.southseas.com, www.facebook.com/southseasresortvillage, or follow us on twitter and instagram @SSIslandResort.  We look forward to seeing you in May.

Regards,

Daniel Smock
Communication Manager, South Seas Island Resort

Zach Lynn on the 10th annual Literacy Leadership Institute

Zach Lynn

If there’s one thing about the Florida Literacy Coalition that stands out above all others, it’s their commitment to sharing information and helping their friends get better at what they do.  I was recently given the opportunity to attend Florida Literacy Coalition’s 10^th Annual Leadership Institute—and they sure did share a lot!

From volunteer management to developing funds, from best practices to new GED standards, I came back to the Adult Literacy League with pages of notes and handouts.  Our staff and volunteers are very keen on professional development and staying up with the current trends, so everyone was very appreciative of all the information I passed along.  Our Executive Director loves to hear anything from the amazing Neil Sturomski, our Development Director got some tips and tricks about fund cultivation, and our social media volunteers are starting to understand how we could use Pinterest in our communications plan.

But some of the most pertinent information was about the new 2014 GED—which will revolutionize how we serve our students.  We currently offer four free classes a week for GED Preparation and see an average of 5-6 students per class.  As they work hard to study up on some difficult subjects, they now see an even more difficult deadline because the test will change in January 2014. And we’ll have to change with it.

The new 2014 GED will be all computer-based.  Luckily we have an upgraded mobile laptop computer lab, but we’ll need to also upgrade how we teach.  Passing along information from the Leadership Institute has sparked ideas and creativity from our current GED instructors, who are thinking of ways to incorporate technology into their lessons.  Information and resources from the Leadership Institute have been a very nice start to this process, and I know the Florida Literacy Coalition will be there to share more information and continue to help us get better at what we do!

Zach is the Volunteer Coordinator with the Adult Literacy League. 

2013 Adult Learner Day

The Florida Literacy Coalition is pleased to invite adult education students in Florida to participate in this year’s Adult Learner Day on May 8, 2013 from 8:30- 5:00 pm.

Adult Learner Day is a unique initiative brings together approximately 70-90 adult learners from adult literacy programs throughout Florida. Students are invited to attend 5-6 special Adult Learner Day workshops providing information about a variety of life skill oriented topics. Adult learners are involved in planning and coordinating this event. The day always includes presentations by adult learners for their fellow students and adult educators.

This event is free for students and promises to include a few surprises along the way.

Here is a tentative schedule for workshops-

Adult Learner Experience: Why we stayed and what you can do with your students
Join members from the Adult Learner Committee in this interactive workshop as they discuss why they stayed with their literacy programs. This workshop will provide insight on how practitioners can increase student retention and recruitment. Be prepared to participate in this informative conversation!

Managing your money and planning for the future
Does the term finance scare you? Jaclyn Boland and FLC AmeriCorps* VISTA’s will help you get a better understanding of managing your money and creating a budget. After participating in this workshop, you will walk away with tools that will help you plan for your future.

Basic computer skills and the new GED Test
From the basics to the necessities, learn how to use a computer in ways that will help you succeed. This workshop will start with how to turn on a computer and end with copy and paste, and keyboarding.

Libraries open the door to learning
Learn how you can use the library and find information that will help you in your learning process. You will learn how to find information on things like citizenship and health literacy. All learners are welcome to this presentation.

Reading Strategies and Family Literacy
Reading to your child is a remarkable moment. This workshop will teach you reading strategies that will help you read a book to your child. Leave this workshop with a book to take home and practice tonight!