To celebrate the power of literacy, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Adult Basic Education program will hold an open house on International Literacy Day, Tuesday, September 8, from 5-6 p.m., at the George County Center and the Jackson County, Jefferson Davis and Perkinston campuses. The event, open to the public, is an opportunity to meet the instructors, view the classrooms and gain information about the programs.
“More than 776 million adults worldwide lack minimum literacy skills,” said Becky Layton, director of Adult Basic Education at Gulf Coast. “That means that one in five adults is not literate. In Mississippi, that number is even higher since Mississippi ranks 50th nationally in literacy. This year, International Literacy Day will spotlight the empowering role of literacy and its importance for participation, citizenship and social empowerment. With that in mind, we want to encourage the community to visit our open house, learn more about the programs we have available, and meet our instructors, who are passionate advocates of literacy education in South Mississippi.”
As part of the celebration, the ABE program is collecting “gently used” or new books. The books, which can be for children or adults, will be distributed to local families. They will be collected at the ABE Office or ABE classroom at the George County Center or at the Jackson County, Jefferson Davis or Perkinston Campus Aug. 31–Sept. 11.
For more information about the Open House or the ABE programs, contact the ABE Office at the George County Center, 601-947-4201; Jackson County Campus, 228-497-7755; Jefferson Davis Campus, 228-897-3810; Perkinston Campus, 601-928-6358; or visit www.mgccc.edu. You may also call the toll-free number, 1-866-735-1122.
