Last Week's Meeting - Basic Education and Literacy Month
Rotary International observes Basic Education and Literacy Month every September. RCY member Aimee Fifarek, executive director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, discussed the economic and social impacts of literacy during the Sept. 8 meeting.
While low literacy and illiteracy often are associated with underdeveloped countries, it is very much a national and local concern, Fifarek said. Citing a 2020 study by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the analytics firm Gallup, she noted that 19 percent of Mahoning County residents read below minimum proficiency levels.
Thus, they may struggle to understand basic instructions on common forms, she observed.
Nationally, Forbes magazine reported that the U.S. may be losing $2.2 trillion in annual household income because 130 million adults are reading below a sixth-grade level. As reading proficiency increases, so do wages. Where low literacy and illiteracy persists, so does multigenerational poverty, poor health and poor educational outcomes.
Basic education and literacy is among Rotary’s areas of focus. Fifarek said RCY supports education and literacy through scholarships it awards to high school students who advance to Youngstown State University, and through its support of Little Free Libraries. Past President Elayne Bozick, who leads the Little Free Library committee, said RCY has installed 34 free book exchanges in Youngstown and beyond.
September also is national Library Card Sign-up Month, Fifarek noted. Locally, you can register online at The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (libraryvisit.org) or by stopping at any PLYMC branch.
You can find Aimee's full presentation here.