Learning Opportunities for Children and Adults

In a city with a functional illiteracy rate of 37%, where only half of the young adults graduate high school, and where the school system is among the lowest performing in the nation, the library’s role in education is more important than ever. Identifying literacy, services to children, and access to information as key initiatives, the Foundation has supported programs in the following areas: (scroll down for examples of specific support provided)

• Children and Teens
• Adult Learning
• Limited English Speakers

Currently the Foundation is piloting two new initiatives in early literacy: the Preschool Breakfast Club and an Infant and Toddler Breakfast Club: "Sing, Talk and Read" (STAR)

Children and Teens:

• Raised funds to pilot the Emergent Literacy Project - which provides rotating “book kits” and instruction in pre-literacy skills to 120 licensed home daycare providers serving children under the age of 5.
• Expanded the DC Reads to Babies Newborn Project
• Supports DCPL summer reading programs
• Provided pilot funds for “Super Saturdays:” Saturday literature programming for children during winter months
• Sponsored a creative writing contest for children and young adults at Georgetown Branch Library
• Improved the collection of pre-school films, a system-wide program that reaches 900 children per month
• Created the “Teen Scene” at MLK Central Library
• Funded creation of a Teen Chess League at library branches

Adult Learning:

• Developed a community health education and resource collection at Washington Highlands Branch Library
• Purchased subscriptions to key business and political periodicals for the West End Branch Library
• Sponsored a citywide literacy conference in 2006 for practitioners and adult learners, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the DCPL Adult Literacy Resource Center
• Operates Michael Fox GED scholarship fund
• Obtained funding from Humanities Council of DC for “Wrapped in Love” for adults who have lost a child to violence to create memorial afghans and poems
• Expanded arts and craft workshops MLK library  
  

Limited English Speakers:

• Mounted summer ESL conversation groups for the past 3 summers
• Funded year-round ESL conversation classes at Southeast Branch Library