By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
Princeton was all about the letter “L” for “literacy” at the public library Monday morning when the Literacy Volunteers in Mercer County came to celebrate Adult Literacy Month for the first time.
The Princeton Public Library is one of the libraries that participate in the Literacy Volunteers program, which provides trained tutors to illiterate adults free of charge. After more than 40 years, the nonprofit organization now has more than 200 students and more than 200 tutors who meet at libraries throughout the county.
”The program helps people live practical, better lives and allows them to be able to fully participate in the community from getting a better job to getting their U.S. citizenship,” said Lew Thurston, the president of the board of directors for the Literacy Volunteers.
The morning celebration was well attended with many residents, students and tutors in the program and two well-known advocates of literacy U.S. Rep Rush Holt and County Executive Brian Hughes. They were both named “champions of literacy” and received honorary plaques.
Mr. Hughes kick started the event by issuing a proclamation that officially declared September as Adult Literacy Month. Mr. Hughes reported that 6,000 adults in the county are not able to read at the fifth grade level or below. However, under his watch Mr. Hughes said the county has awarded more GEDs in 2011 than it has in the past five years.
”The more GEDs means the more literacy,” said Mr. Hughes. “The more literacy, the greater we are.”
Rep. Holt, who was also a teacher and tutor, praised the Literacy Volunteers and described tutoring as “hard, but some of the most fulfilling work you can do.”
”Here is a public service that makes it possible for individuals to work as volunteers and for students to get ahead personally,” he added. “I need not repeat how much this means.”
The organization helps a diverse number of students ranging from 18 to 65-years-old. Some students never received the opportunity to read, some are foreigners facing language barriers and some are non-native English speakers that want to better help their kids with their homework.
Eric Little and Jessica Lam, both students, talked about how much Literacy Volunteers has helped them. Mr. Little, who is dyslexic, went through life unable to read until he entered the program at age 45. Now he’s a tutor and has improved the reading skills of dentists and other individuals.
”The main thing is to get them to relax they are always so scared in the classroom,” said Mr. Little.
Ms. Lam started when she was 30 to improve her English to communicate better with others. She came from Hong Kong and although she knew some English, she struggled to translate it effectively.
”Now I am more comfortable and I don’t have to translate in my head,” said Ms. Lam, who has been with Literacy Volunteers for 10 years. “I just got my citizenship last year I am really happy.”

