Literacy for Life Newsletter of the South Texas Literacy Coalition – August, 2014

2nd Annual Duval County Literacy Festival Draws a Crowd

The San Diego Civic Center was filled with children,

parents, grandparents, representatives from community

agencies and businesses for the 2nd Annual Duval County

Literacy Festival. The festival keynote speaker and celebrity

reader was U.S. Congressman Rubén Hinojosa who spoke to

the participants about the importance of literacy for

educational success. Having traveled to various countries,

including China, Japan, and Finland, to learn of their success

with high school graduation, Congressman Hinojosa shared

that there was no secret to the success of those countries in

educating their children. The formula is simple: Early

reading + writing = School Success.

The festival was made

possible for the second

year in a row by a collaboration of the Duval County Judges’

Office and Public Library and the South Texas Literacy

Coalition. The Coalition was started by the Congressman as he

convened community leaders in South Texas to forge a

collaboration that would bring together the community, families,

business, education and grass-roots organizations to help promote

literacy for all, but especially for young children. The

Congressman’s goal was to “put a book in the hands of every child we

can reach so that they can develop a love for reading and writing.” Since the formal organization of the

coalition, over 169,000 books valued at over $2 million dollars

have been distributed in South Texas. In addition in the early

years of the coalition in collaboration with Reading is

Fundamental, over 500,000 books have been distributed.

Maclovio Perez, Channel 6 weathermen from Corpus Christi

was also on hand. In addition to showing a power point on

weather issues and facts he helped emcee the program and

shared the importance of literacy in any career that a student

might choose. Reading is key to learning and learning is the

key to career success.

www.southtexaslitcoalition.org

Congressman Hinojosa reads a bilingual

book entitled “¡Gracias! Thanks!” by Pat

Mora to the children at the festival.

Maclovio Perez, KRIS-TV, Channel 6

Meteorologist was on hand to educate

about weather facts and to motivate

parents and children to read and write.

.The participants at the festival were also treated to several performances by

the Lipan Apache Indians who presented a dance in tribute to Our Lady

of Guadalupe, the virgin who appeared to Juan Diego in 1531. They

also invited guests from the audience to perform the “Friendship

Dance.”

Frank Brewster, III author from

Mission, Texas was also on board

as a celebrity reader reading from

one of his books – “El Gatito

Perdido/The Lost Little Kitten.”

Exhibitors present at the event included: Community Action

Corporation of South Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas A&M

Corpus Christi, Brewster’s Guacamaya Enterprises with local author Frank Brewster who was also a

celebrity reader, Whataburger, Duval County Museum, the National Medical Library/UT Health Science

Center of San Antonio, Health and Human Services – SAGA and Child Abuse Prevention programs, Del

Mar College. Also, the business community contributed to the success of the event. Many thanks to:

HEB, Luby’s Cafeteria, Barnes and Noble, Target, Whataburger, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn

Steakhouse, Johnny Carino’s, Olive Garden, Jason’s Deli, Chili’s, and many, many youth and adult

volunteers who helped provide hot dogs, chips, drinks, cake, and cupcakes.

Other Literacy Festivals in South Texas

Jim Wells County Back to School Bash

Over 1,000 backpacks were given out to youngsters at this

event hosted by the Jim Wells County Juvenile Probation

Department and held at the County Fairgrounds in Alice,

Texas. The STLC distributed 900 books with a value of

over $10,000!

Alamo Community Center Community

Children and

students from the neighborhoods around

the Alamo Community Center in

Hidalgo County Precinct 2, gathered to

collect school supplies and other items

from local agencies. The STLC

distributed over 300 books valued at

over $3,000!

Other book distributions held with Apasionados Por La Lectura Family Literacy Program in Brownsville

received 300 books valued at $2,900.

We will also be distributing books at the Back 2 School Bash sponsored by RCommunications Radio

Stations at the International Museum of Arts and Sciences in McAllen on August 23, 2014.

Upcoming events:

The STLC will be celebrating their 6th Annual

Historias de la Vida

Gala on Saturday,

October 11, 2014 from 6

p.m. – 11 p.m. at the Valencia Event

Center in McAllen. For more

information on sponsorships and tickets

call us at (956) 292-0257 or (956) 279-

1689.

Our requests for books has increased

55% since last year. We need your

help! Our goal is to promote literacy

and enhance life-long learning and

that can only happen if our families

build a culture of literacy in their

homes by having books and print

materials available. We have much

work to do in achieving our goal.

When we work together we can help

make our region more literate and increase educational attainment, financial

literacy, workforce readiness, and quality of life! Any donation is gratefully accepted.

Each gift of $25 helps us put a book in the hands of 10 children. There

are at least 500,000 children and students in our region who have

limited access to books and print materials. Please helps us give the

gift of reading to these children.

www.southtexaslitcoalition.org