Blanket statements can be dangerous to make, but here's one that I am guessing is accurate:
Everyone who is receiving this issue of the Contact is able to read and write. Those are basic skills and are the foundation for all that we do in life, whether it's at work or at home.
Another guess is that we all, from time to time, take those skills for granted.
We shouldn't.
The National Center for Education reports that 79 percent of adults in the United States have medium to high English literacy skills. That means they are able to compare and contrast information, paraphrase and make low-level inferences.
While that number sounds impressive, it still means that 21 percent of adult Americans — that's 43 million people — have low to medium literacy skills.
It's a big number, especially when you consider what it actually means. Those Americans likely have a tough time filling our a job application and could struggle to perform their duties if they were able to find work. They might not be able to fully understand cooking instructions. And, they might not bother voting simply because it is difficult for them to read about issues and learn about candidates.
Residents of the Tri-State Area are fortunate. Ohio, for example, has a literacy rate of 90.9 percent, according to numbers reported by the World Population Review. West Virginia has a literacy rate of 86.6 percent, and Pennsylvania's literacy rate is 87.4 percent.
New Hampshire has the highest rate at 94.2 percent, while California has the lowest rate at 76.9 percent.
Those numbers are especially important in September, which Rotary International has designated as Basic Education and Literacy Month.
While it's a chance to put a spotlight on a very real problem, it's also an opportunity to remember that members of our club have been promoting those skills for many years now.
We haven't just sat and talked about the issue — we've been working to help. For many years now, we have been providing dictionaries to every third-grader in Jefferson County. Rotarians have visited schools and classrooms to distribute the books and spent time interacting with many of the pupils. Members of our club also have been involved in reading programs, helping to open the magical world of books and the joy of learning to boys and girls.
These programs — and others that we have conducted — have allowed Rotarians to touch the lives of countless numbers of people in area communities. By helping to stress the importance of reading and the power of language — not just in September but throughout the year — we're demonstrating that these are critical skills needed to have a successful life.
We are reminded, once again, that Rotary Opens Opportunities.
