Calhoun and Huntsville/Madison County Public Library Partner to celebrate National Family Literacy Week

Calhoun Community College’s Adult Education Department and the Huntsville/Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) in downtown Huntsville are teaming up to celebrate National Family Literacy Week from September 15-21, 2024.

In response to Governor Kay Ivey’s proclamation two years ago designating National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week in September, Calhoun and the library joined forces to provide free services and fun activities to promote the importance of reading to the community.

Governor Ivey’s proclamation highlights a staggering reality: over 51.4 million Americans struggle with basic reading and writing, and 75 million lack the math skills and credentials necessary to succeed in higher education. In Alabama alone, more than 379,000 adults over the age of 18 do not have a high school diploma. “This is alarming and heartbreaking,” says Wendy Roberts, Calhoun’s Adult Education Director. “As adult education professionals, our mission is to tackle this issue by offering free, accessible services. Many people want to take advantage of these resources but face challenges with travel, so we decided to bring our event to them with a mobile library,” adds Roberts.

The HMCPL will be bringing its Bookmobile Library to Calhoun’s Huntsville Campus on Monday, September 16, and Tuesday, September 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

“Adult Education and Literacy Week gives us the chance to highlight the vital need not only for reading skills but also for comprehension,” says Dr. Jimmy Hodges, President of Calhoun Community College. “We hope the community will come out, enjoy some free books for the entire family, and, most importantly, seize the opportunity to improve their skills through one of our adult education programs. These programs change lives by opening doors to better job opportunities and higher wages. We don’t want anyone to miss out,” Hodges adds.

For more information about Calhoun’s Adult Education Programs or Family Literacy Week, visit www.calhoun.edu/adulteducation.

All media inquiries must contact Calhoun’s Public Relations team at 256-306-2560 or 256-306-2965.

About Calhoun Adult Education:
Calhoun Community College Adult Education is designed to help adult learners earn their high school diploma or GED, improve their reading, math, language, and computer skills, and learn English as a second language. The program also offers training in manufacturing and logistics, with certifications available upon completion, and opportunities to work with major employers such as Mazda/Toyota and YKTA.