Savannah Technical College is celebrating Adult Education and Family Literacy Week in Georgia by hosting a book drive at all campuses, the Ft. Stewart Army Education Center and the St. Mary’s GED-prep location for “Keeping Alivea’s Dream Alive” September 8 – 17. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal proclaimed Sept. 2-8 Adult Education and Family Literacy Week and Sept. 8, as Literacy Day in Georgia.

Alivea Cox, 14, passed away in June 2018 from anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare form cancer, just hours after being diagnosed. STC Adult Education instructor Beth Odom is a family friend and is one of the organizers of the “Keeping Alivea’s Dream Alive” book drive. Collected new and gently-used books will be distributed to grades K-12.

Approximately 32 million Americans cannot read or write. In Georgia, roughly 1.1 million individuals over the age of 18 have not completed high school or received a GED. Literacy rates are typically the lowest in economically disadvantaged communities. Low literacy rates often correlate with high unemployment rates, high crime rates and welfare dependency.

Parents who cannot read or write perpetuate intergenerational cycles of illiteracy, as they are unable to help their children learn daily tasks such as how to read medicine bottles, navigate public transportation, practice comparative shopping, make correct change, or complete homework for school.

Low literacy rates among adults may also be countered through greater support for literacy programs through public libraries and by strengthening workplace, school and volunteer literacy programs on the local, state, and national levels.