Vita News Letter Summer 2000
| Whitney Volunteers
Man VITA
Computer Lab
VITA's computer lab hours have been extended to include Tuesday evenings thanks to Whitney Bank volunteers. The additional hours offer VITA students more opportunity to participate in the computer program. Five teams of Whitney employee instructors generously donate their time to supervise the VITA After Hours Computer Lab on Tuesdays from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Regular computer hours are 9:00 until noon Monday through Friday. Earl Alleman, Whitney regional retail sales manager, says of the bank's commitment, "Whitney Bank and its employees are appreciative of the opportunity to help individuals in our community improve their quality of life by enhancing their educational skills." The Whitney tutors include Alleman, Dell Benoit, Linda Campbell, Judy Duhon, John Hebert, Judy Higgins, David Smith, Donna Touchet, Annette Trahan and Kat Williamson. Alleman says of the program thus far, "Our five teams are excited to be involved. They have evidenced firsthand the confidence and sense of accomplishment attained by individuals striving to improve their computer literacy skills. We have pledged our time and skills to assist the VITA After Hours Computer Lab Program through its first year." |
| Join in the VITA Open House Celebration VITA will celebrate its recent office and library expansion at an Open House at the Lafayette office from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Lafayette officials at 10 a.m. Presentations will also be made to several individuals and organizations that have been instrumental in VITA's literacy mission in the past year. Tours of the VITA Computer Lab and demonstrations of some of the reading programs will be offered and light refreshments served. All friends of VITA, tutors and students are invited to join in the celebration. The VITA office is located in Suite 404 in the Whitney Bank Building at 905 Jefferson Street. Parking is available in slots 31-36 of the Whitney Bank lot and on Jefferson and Caillouet Streets. In addition, the First Baptist Church has offered the use of their parking lot next to the old La Parisienne building on Lee Avenue. |
| Back by Popular Demand! Dana Topham Presents a Workshop in October. Dana Topham, speech/language pathologist and guest speaker for the last Tutor Support Workshop, has graciously agreed to present another program for VITA tutors. Her March presentation on multi-sensory strategies for instruction was well received, and many attendees asked that she return for another workshop. The topics for the fall presentation will be spelling and grammar. The workshop will be held Friday, October 6 in the VITA Training Room at the Lafayette location at 905 Jefferson Street. A light lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. and the program will begin promptly at noon. Registration is required so call the VITA office at (337) 234-4600 by Thursday, October 5 to sign up. |
Volunteers are unpaid... not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless. |
| VITA Staff Participates
in Literacy Conference The VITA staff recently attended the 2000 Biennial Conference of Laubach Literacy Action, the nation's largest literacy organization. Orlando, Florida was this year's site for the annual three-day conference, which featured more than 100 educational seminars, a technology center and exhibit hall. Staff members attended workshops on reading instruction, learning differences, technology, training and program management. |
| Consider Literacy as a Church
Mission
Many church activities, from singing a hymn to
following church services, require reading skills. VITA is
actively developing a network of churches that offer literacy
services in their communities. Several local churches have
launched literacy missions that provide volunteer tutors from
their congregation and space for on-site tutoring. Tutors
and students are recruited from the pulpit and by church
bulletins and newsletters. Easy-to-read Bible materials are
also made available to adult learners. To start a literacy mission at your church, call Susan Oglesbee and VITA at (337) 234-4600. |
A student's progress is the best reward a tutor can achieve. |
| Follow the Paper Trail Thank you, tutors. We appreciate the prompt return of your student's monthly report each month. This documentation charts your student's progress and provides essential, detailed information for VITA's many reports for governmental and nonprofit agencies. Our "paper trail" is necessary for the continuation of VITA's literacy services. To simplify the reporting process our monthly reports will soon receive a "facelift." The revised version will be available in a few weeks. So please keep up the good work |
VITA Welcomes
New Tutors: Rodney Alfred Mildred Brauer May Gloria Charles Valerie Miller Betty Weatherby Taina Ashley Sally Blaine Gene Dolese Virginia Finley Patti Gayle Glenn Labbe MaRay Moore Yolanda Peterman Donna Ryan Candida Randall |
Sherry Vincent Earl Alleman Dell Benoit Linda Campbell Judy Duhon Judy Higgins David Smith Donna Touchet Annette Trahan Kat Williamson John Bergeron Gwen Dardar Margaret Trahan Sharleen Meyers |
for the upcoming months. The following workshops are scheduled at the VITA offices at 905 Jefferson Street, Ste. 404 in Lafayette and at 1310 S. Union Street, Ste. 4 in Opelousas. VITA Workshop Schedule: August 24, 5-7 p.m. and August 26, 9-12 a.m. Lafayette August 26, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Opelousas September 21, 5-7 p.m. and Sept. 23, 9-12 a.m. Lafayette September 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Opelousas |
To assist with the literacy movement, spread the word about VITA's reading programs. Encourage potential students to seek instruction. Suggest tutoring as a volunteer activity to friends and family members. Be a literacy advocate and help build a better Acadiana. |