Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ I was very heartened yesterday to learn of the Chamber’s latest initiative (Tsunami Development Literacy Program) where the Chamber is planning to plant a literacy program in the West End Plaza. The Chamber is Kenny Hardin, Pastor Anthony Smith, and Chris Sifford who are also behind a city-wide initiative to find community-based answers to gang violence and crime strongly affecting Salisbury’s neighborhoods.
Our readership is following the Chamber’s exploits in the West End. Since growing up in Philadelphia, I’m a strong believer in the power of communities uniting together in overcoming major urban challenges–the kind we face in Salisbury with our big three statistics in Poverty (28%), Crime (Low flying FBI stats), and Education (Poor scoring on the state education’s READY Report). Of course there are always some folks who want to dodge statistical reality and bodies crumpled in a backyards–but rest assured its not the Chamber and they will find a strong ally in the RFP.
Yesterday at the County Commission meeting, the Chamber was front and center behind a new literacy initiative being planted in Rowan County’s repurposed mall: The West End Plaza. I’m strongly supportive of programs that get feet under literacy education even if its only a single concerned citizen taking the time to meet with a youngster at the Rowan County Public Library. That’s a start, but it’s not big footed enough.
We need large all-out initiatives because this war is a do or die mission to turn young people’s lives around and pull them out of the fire of gangs, crime and certain poverty. Being illiterate is a learning impediment that impacts young people’s lives in a major way. Signing with an X doesn’t “do the do” in the digital/information age.
Literacy is a lynchpin in turning young people’s lives around. Being able to read, write, and do simple math is an utter base-line requirement for life. It also opens up a treasure house of interests and information for young persons in their formative years. It is a major escalator out of poverty, crime, and a way to make full use of education and life’s education.
I am so glad to see another outstanding Chamber initiative.
Video: the Tsunami Development Literacy Program:
http://rowanfreepress.com/2014/08/05/video-the-tsunami-development-literacy-program/
