West Alabama groups unite in literacy efforts

Louie Singleton stood in shock as a crowd of more than 350 people gave him a standing ovation. Singleton, who wore a work shirt bearing his first name, isn’t a politician. And he’s not a celebrity or a religious leader. Singleton, of Odenville, Alabama, was being applauded at the West Alabama Literacy Summit Thursday, March 27, 2008, for an achievement that, while seemingly humble, changed his life. At 54, Singleton had learned to read.

Twenty-five percent of Alabamians are considered functionally illiterate, meaning they lack even the ability to read a street sign or instructions on a medicine bottle. In West Alabama, the percentage ranges from 23% in Tuscaloosa County to a shocking 51% in Greene County. To help fight the daunting percentages, local organizations met with government and business leaders as part of the Literacy Summit, sponsored by organizations including the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama and the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club. The overall goal is to create a coordinating council to bring together various groups with literacy efforts. Read more in The Tuscaloosa News online.