Cottonwood library begins free adult literacy classes

Photo by Michael Woodward

READY TO TEACH: Ethel Hicks, the Adult Education Coordinator of the Cottonwood Community Library, holds a training session with the volunteer tutors who will teach reading skills for no charge.

The Cottonwood Community Library is now offering free, one-on-one adult literacy classes to teach reading skills to anyone interested. Adult Education Coordinator Ethel Hicks has nine tutors she is training to take on anyone interested in improving their reading skills, whether their skill level be beginner or intermediate.

“We’ll take them from the reading level that they are and take them to where they want to go,” Hicks said.

Hicks has a masters degree in education with 28 years of elementary teaching experience. She spent the last nine years tutoring adults. She said she has helped people learn to read to pass driver’s tests and teacher’s aide exams.

“All communities need adult literacy education available,” Hicks said. “It’s a big need in the community. We’re the only one doing this between Redding and Yuba City, as far as I know.”

The program offers flexible scheduling for the tutoring, which would take place in the meeting room of the Cottonwood Community Library, 3427 Main St. in Cottonwood.

The free literacy program to the north is courtesy of Shasta College based out of the Redding library.

In October, the Cottonwood Community Library will offer a free 10-week Latino Family Literacy Program, which will be open to 20 Latino families. The program, headed by Pauline and Edward Guerrero, uses bilingual books and materials that can even benefit those without any reading skills.

The program intends to establish a family reading routine that sends books home with families to read together with children.

The Latino Family Literacy Program and Adult Literacy Program are new volunteer driven programs at the new Cottonwood Community Library.

“Our vision is to have so much more of this,” Vice President of the Board of the Cottonwood Community Library Cheryl Walther said. “We want to provide many different ways people can help in the library.”

The adult literacy committee that drives these programs includes Ethel Hicks, Pauline and Edward Guerrero, Meridi Thissell, Kristi Betts, Phyllis Waterman, Patsy Finck, Frances Gregory, Jan Kessner and Linda Parham.

The literacy programs were funded by three grants: $1,000 from the Wal-Mart in Anderson, $1,500 from the Wal-Mart in Redding, and $250 from Rich Morgan of Cottonwood.

“We spent $900 on adult literacy materials and the rest went to buying the Latino Family Literacy Program,” Hicks said.

Hicks said that the literacy programs are in need of donations for operating expenses.

For information about the Adult Literacy Program or the Latino Family Literacy Program, call 347-5697.