November 5, 2012 Proposal by: Dana Gist Racel Zaval Traci Hoffman Anika Ahmed Natasya Febyanti

Introduction

One in three adults cannot read this sentence (National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003). Out of the 3.8 million people in Texas who need an adult education program, only 100,000 are being served (TWIC 2010, A Primer on Adult Education in Texas). There are many more staggering statistics concerning adult literacy or lack thereof. Just in our Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex alone, many adults are in need of higher education and many more have yet to start. In 1961, Literacy Instruction for Texas, or better known as LIFT, was founded by the local chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women. Since then, LIFT has become one of the largest literacy education programs in the United States which includes GED prep, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult and Family Literacy. Together with many corporate and foundation partners, LIFT established an ongoing mission in order to enhance lives and strengthen communities by raising the adult literacy rate in Texas. An adult learner who has recently passed shared his testimony of his literary journey at LIFT Champions of Literacy Luncheon in 2007: "My name is Michael Mack and I am 46 years old. I want to talk to you about what LIFT has done for me. I came to LIFT eleven months ago because I never graduated from high school. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri in a family school. I finally quit after the 8th grade. I had no problem getting a job, but had a harder and harder time keeping them. When it came time to move up, any job that required writing or reading a lot I could not do. When these hard jobs took their toll on me I became partially disabled. I tried to go back to school but was first put in a college setting. I soon got scared and quit. That is when I heard about LIFT through a friend that told me how LIFT was helping him. At first I was scared because I was older and had not been in school in many years. Lucky for me there were two teachers that took their time and had patience with me. My scores have improved so much that I am now reading just for fun! I enjoy participating in the Wednesday Read-In program at LIFT. I am now preparing for the GED at LIFT. No longer do I feel unworthy to succeed. In other words, LIFT has not only given me the courage to pursue my goals, but to achieve them. Thank you for hearing my story and thank you for supporting LIFT." Michael is a primary example of how crucial reading and writing can be. He, among other adults, benefitted from the opportunities LIFT provided. LIFT will serve at least 8,000 adult learners this year. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds fifty-nine percent of Hispanics, twentyeight percent African American, three percent Anglo, eight percent Asian, and two percent of other origins adult learners are helped on a national level. On average, a typical student is around thirty-seven years old at or below a second grade reading level before entering the LIFT program.

Low-Literacy in the Dallas Area An illiterate person is defined as someone who is ignorant of letters or literature; without book-learning or education; unlettered, unlearned in the Oxford English Dictionary Online (2012). Illiteracy has become an increasing issue in North Texas. According to Kenneth Barr, from the Fort Worth Business Press, 12.6 percent of North Texans have difficulty reading a newspaper (Barr, 2009). Illiteracy affects an estimated 93 million adults across our country. Not only are the individual people affected by this, but their families and employers suffer the consequences as well. Below is a chart, illustrating low-literacy rates in the Dallas area.

I. II.

Low-Literacy Rates in Dallas and Surrounding Counties

14% 8%
Collin Dallas

8% 8%

21%

Denton Rockwall Tarrant

Families affected by Low-Literacy Skills The families of those adults who have low to no literacy skills suffer the consequences of just as much as that individual. Children learn from their parents. When the adults of a home do not know how to read or write, the children within the household follow their example. How can the adults expect their children to excel in school, when they did not? The U.S. Department of Education says, the number one determinant in the success of a childs education is a parent who cannot read (LIFT Texas Literacy Instruction For Texas, 2012). Parents are their childs first and most important teacher (National Center for Family Literacy, 2012). As a child grows up they look at to their parents for guidance. At a young age, parents begin to teach their children to read and write. Whether this be reading a story at bedtime, or teaching them the alphabet. The following are some sample situations within a household: A. Situation A: Household where both parents can read and write. a. Children will learn to read and write. B. Situation B: Household where only one parent can read and write. a. Children tend to have low-literacy skills. C. Situation C: Household where neither parent can read and write. a. Children will echo their parents decisions.

I.

b. Children will learn from their parents mistakes. The effect of low literacy dropping out of school, minimum wage jobs, and the homeless are cyclical, continuing from one generation to the next (National Center for Family Literacy, 2012). Adults with low-literacy skills in todays society; probably developed their literacy skills from their parents. The cycle of low-literacy will then continue with each generation thereafter. How are employers affected? By employing individuals with low to no literary skills businesses all around will spend millions to billions of dollars every year. In 2009, Barr (2009) estimated that low-literacy skills cost businesses and taxpayers $20 billion in lost wages, profits, and productivity annually. Imagine what can be done with all this money spent on for the lack of literacy skills. It is astonishing how many adults in todays society will get through life by knowing only the bare minimum to get by. Based on the different articles I have read, it is often difficult for companies in the Dallas area to know whether their employees are illiterate. For example, literacy advocate John Corcoran is a successful individual who only knew how to read at a second-grade level. He graduated from high school, as well as college to become a successful real estate businessman. With his reading level, he learned to adjust his lifestyle. What he did was, he let others read and write for themselves and then he communicated to others verbally. Even though Mr. Corcoran was able to go on with his life at that level, it does not mean it is as simple as it may seem. Jobs require a person to read and write, whether this be reading directions, looking up information, writing emails or letters, reading books, manuals, etc. Not being able to read well or at all is challenging. People constantly have to read and write, this is a part of our everyday lives. Those with low-literacy skills may not be able to find job that will satisfy these skills, thus they would have to work at a lower-level. Literary Instruction for Texas (LIFT) Making A Difference In 1961, Literacy Instruction for Texas, or better known as LIFT, was founded by the local chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women. Since then, LIFT has become one of the largest literacy education programs in the United States which includes GED prep, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult and Family Literacy. Together with many corporate and foundation partners, LIFT established an ongoing mission in order to enhance lives and strengthen communities by raising the adult literacy rate in Texas. Literary Instruction for Texas (LIFT) mission is as follows: The purpose of LIFT is simpleTo teach illiterate and low literate adults to read English. It does not matter why they cannot read; it is the mission of Literacy Instruction for Texas to enhance lives and strengthen communities by raising the adult literacy rate in Texas (LIFT Texas Literate Instruction For Texas, 2012). An adult learner who has recently passed shared his testimony of his literary journey at LIFT Champions of Literacy Luncheon in 2007: Michael Mack, 46, never graduated from high school. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri in a family school, but quit after the 8th grade. Getting a job was not a problem for Michael, but III. II.

rather had a harder time keeping the job. When it came to moving up in a job, he lacked the literacy skills required to complete the job. Michael tried to go back to school, but was put in a college setting which frightened him and soon quite. This was when he heard about LIFT. A friend had mentioned how LIFT was helping him, so he decided to see for himself. He was scared at first, but was lucky to have found teachers who took their time and had patience with him. His reading skills have improved so much in the 11-months he has been with LIFT; that he now reads just for fun. Michael no longer feels unworthy to succeed. In other words, LIFT has not only helped him to find the courage to pursue his goals, but to achieve them as well. Michael is a primary example of how crucial reading and writing can be. He, among other adults, benefitted from the opportunities LIFT provided. LIFT will serve at least 8,000 adult learners this year. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds fifty-nine percent of Hispanics, twenty-eight percent African American, three percent Anglo, eight percent Asian, and two percent of other origins adult learners are helped on a national level. On average, a typical student is around thirty-seven years old at or below a second grade reading level before entering the LIFT program.

PROPOSAL/PLAN/SCHEDULE
Half Price Books will be hosting the LIFTing Hope Carnival in hopes of raising awareness and money to help the LIFT -Texas organization. The carnival will take place the weekend of November 12th, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Oak Point Park in Plano, TX. All proceeds obtained from the LIFTing Hope Carnival will be donated to the LIFT-Texas organization.

Carnival Activities
Children of many ages and adults will be able to enjoy each and every activity. The carnival will have energetic music, delicious food and a great atmosphere. The carnival will consist of various rides and booths located throughout the park. In addition to the fun activity and booths, the carnival will have a raise awareness section with special stalls. There will be many fun filled activities which consist of: Mary-go-round Dunking Booths Face Painting Bounce House Ferris Wheel House of Mirrors Mini Golf Magician Obstacle Courses Games

Informational Booth will consist of brochure for the LIFT program and educate our attendee about young adult and adult literacy. There will be a donation box so individuals can donate the cause.

Read-a-thon Booth This booth will serve for the literacy. Individual will be asked to donate a dollar to the cause and also read one page. This activity will be fun for the young kids, because it will be educational and fun. Literacy Item Booth This booth will have literacy items such as books for learners There will be many tasty treats that individuals will be able to buy at the carnival. The carnival will have foods such as: Ice Cream Cotton Candy Popcorn Drinks Hot Dogs Nachos

We have asked a local business, Raising Canes, to participate in this event and they have agreed to donate 35% of their sales to help the cause of literacy. In addition to all of the rides and fun activities, there will be two drawings to promote literacy by giving two $100.00 dollar gift cards from Half Price Books. Transportation for the Public We have also partnered with DART to provide shuttle service to and from the carnival site. There will be a shuttle running every 15 minutes. We hope to make this a memorable event to support a great cause.

Our goal is to raise approximately 10,000.00 dollars for the LIFT-Texas program, so they can purchase items that will improve their current program and also further help more individuals with low literacy. Certain items that the LIFT-Texas program will need are: Dictionary Encyclopedia Newspaper Literature Books Computers Grammar Books Utensils GED Books Along with purchasing these items, the LIFTing Hope carnival will help the LIFT program to compensate and hire more teachers. The program currently needs professionals who can teach

individuals English. The money we will raise will help LIFT foundation greatly because it will allow them to expand their locations to many more places in Dallas, Texas and hopefully, even outside of Texas. This money will help LIFT train teachers to be more proficient and educate individuals who are low literate. Our main goal for this event is to raise awareness for young adult and adult literacy in Dallas, Texas. We hope this event will be able to open eyes for many people. This fun filled weekend will be a great step many individuals to take part in a big problem that the Dallas community in facing. Not only do we want to raise money, we also want to encourage individuals to come out and support this great cause. Half Price Books hopes that the fundraiser will have an effect on someone and encourage them to learn and read. Although this event will only last a weekend; however, the benefits of literacy will last a lifetime.

Staffing Who is involved? To insure the Read to Succeed Fundraiser runs smoothly, we will need roughly one hundred and twenty people. It will take an estimated twenty to thirty people for set up, decorations, as well as, the tear down phase. Then another hundred people to work the event. Most of the event staff will consist of volunteers from Half Price Books and the LIFT program. Half Price Books has ten stores within a twenty mile radius of each other; most of the volunteers will come from these stores. We would like to have a manager and/or an assistant manager from each store, and 3-5 employees from their stores volunteer both days of the Read to Succeed Fundraiser. The remainder volunteers will be provided by the LIFT program. We hope to have anywhere from 10-20 LIFT volunteers. LIFT volunteers will be stationed at the LIFT Information booth. The booth will have flyers and pamphlets with information on the LIFT program and literacy in the DFW metroplex that volunteers can hand out. By setting up this booth, we hope to give the LIFT volunteers a chance to educate people on literacy and to promote their program. What to expect! While volunteering, all volunteers will wear denim jeans and the event t-shirt. Volunteers will be allocated with a 4-hour shift, either morning or afternoon. During which, volunteers will be responsible for the up keep of their booth and providing educational fun. Below are the different booths we will have at the fundraiser:

Total:

57 people

Budget

Park Rental Obstacle Course and Bounce House Inflatable Dunking Booth Merry Go Round Magician Bumper Cars Ferris Wheel Table and Chair Rentals Half Priced Books Gift Cards Pop Corn Popper Rental Cotton Candy Machine Concession Stands Drink Machine and Cups Ice Cream (an assortment of flavors) Hot Dogs and Buns Nacho Chips, Cheese, and Chili Cotton Candy Sugar, Bags, and Cones Popcorn, popcorn salt, and bags Tax Total

$600 $600 $180 $250 $200 $250 $275 $180 $200 $60 $80 $80 Provided by Raising Canes x4 $150 $210 $200 $250 $150 $85

$312.68 $4102.68

On November 17, 2012, and November 18, 2012, we would like to have a Lifting Life Carnival. We have prepared a budget for the event. We will partner with Raising Canes to bring food to this event. Raising Canes will give 30% of their proceeds to the Lift Program. We will have four concession stands that will serve, nachos, hotdogs, chicken fingers, French fries, chili cheese fries, and chicken wings. The food that Half Price Books will provide has an estimated cost of $550; nacho chips, cheese, chili, weiners, and hot dog buns. We have also included the cost of the machine rentals for the cotton candy, and the popcorn popper; $140 for both. In addition to the food we will have three rides which will consist of Bumper Cars, Ferris Wheel, and a Merry Go Round, and estimated cost for the rides are $775. We have also included the cost of the inflatable bounce house and the obstacle course the estimated cost of both of them are $300 at $150 per day for each of them. Burgess Amusement Center gave us a 30% discount on the bounce house and the inflatable obstacle course. We were able to rent a magician from Magic Island for only $100 a day, and he will provide four shows; two on each day, for a total cost of $200. Baskins Robbins is willing to provide us with the cooler for the ice cream concession stand at the discounted rate of $105 per day; for a total of $210, and there will be 10 flavors of ice cream which will include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, lemon custard, cherry vanilla, strawberry vanilla, tin roof sunday, rainbow sherbert, lime sherbert, and orange sherbert. Jokes R Us will rent us a dunking booth for only $90 a day; we will provide the volunteer and the water for the booth. _______________________________________ Park in Plano, Texas is offering

us complete use of the park at the cost of $300 for each day; an estimated total of $600. Half Price Books wants to offer a raffle ticket to each child from age 10-18 who participates in at least one literary event offered at the various booths; the raffle will be for a $100 gift card. Conculsion Through the Read to Succeed Fundraiser event, the community will be able to help contribute financially while being informed to support the LIFT program. If we are able to raise at least ten thousand dollars, our efforts would help LIFT afford more computers and GED books, create more ESL classes, and pay employees. If these necessities are met, more adults will have the opportunity to read and write, receive higher education, and have a better paying job. As a result, more people will be able to support themselves and their families creating hope of a better future. As illiteracy continues to create a detrimental domino effect, being literate enables a positive domino effect: a building, learning experience.

Works Cited Literacy texas. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.literacytexas.org/index.php/Resources/literacy_facts/ Literacy volunteer organization. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lift-texas.org/main/adultlearners Barr, K. (2009, January 12). Literacy skills required for North Texas growth. Fort Worth Business Press. p. 27. Illiterate. (2012). OED Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved October 29, 2012, from http://www.oed.com.libproxy.utdallas.edu/view/Entry/91475?redirectedFrom=illiterate&. LIFT Texas - Literacy Instruction For Texas. Retrieved from http://www.lift-texas.org. National Center for Family Literacy. [n.d.] Family Literacy Facts. National Coalition For Literacy. Retrieved November 2, 2012, from http://www.national-coalitionliteracy.org/advocacy/FamilyLiteracyFactSheetfromNCFL.pdf.