Multimedia
GPLC alumnus Walter Long discusses literacy with CBS News reporter Byron Pitts....
A production crew from the CBS news Sunday Morning program visited Pittsburgh in early September to shoot a story on literacy. The team, featuring Sixty Minutes correspondent Byron Pitts, interviewed GPLC alumni Walter Long and LaVonne McKinstry and also sat in on classes held at GPLC's Downtown Center and The Neighborhood Academy.
Pitts, who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old, was introduced to GPLC several years ago when he spoke at GPLC's annual Leaders for Literacy Luncheon. Since then, he has addressed more than a dozen literacy organizations around the country, and he maintains that GPLC rises above the crowd. His personal journey is documented in a new memoir titled Step Out On Nothing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPLC – The Overview or Voices of GPLC
Clip #14, 7 seconds, Greg Mims – GPLC PR Director
There’s always a need to reach out. There’s always a need to learn more. So we take the phrase ‘Life long learning’ very seriously.
Clip #15, 10 seconds, Greg Mims
The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council is an education agency that serves a wide variety of adult populations throughout Allegheny County
Clip #16, 35 seconds, Greg Mims
A lot of people think that literacy is just an issue for just an issue for the impoverished or America’s underclass, but what we’ve found at the Literacy Council is that that is not so. We offer a variety of programs to people with varying literacy needs. Very few folks come to you as a blank slate with no reading, writing or math skills. What we try to do is find out from the student what his or her goals are. And we work from there to help them achieve those educational goals.
Clip #17, 28 seconds, LaVonne McKinstry – GPLC Student
I didn’t graduate high school. I quit in the ninth grade.
I was getting involved in a couple auxiliaries at church and – actually, I didn’t want to get involved because I didn’t want any body to know that I couldn’t read that well.
One day I ways sitting at home watching TV and I saw the commercial about the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council and I said to myself, you know, maybe they could help me learn how to read my Bible.
Clip #18, 21 seconds, Clifford Dow – GPLC Student
I turned down three positions to be a supervisor because I felt that I didn’t have the skills to be a supervisor. And I always felt, not out of place, but I felt different from everybody else because I didn’t have my high school diploma.
Clip #19, 9 seconds, Clifford Dow
GPLC, the tutors that they have here are the best. They’re like angels.
Clip #20, 14 seconds, Vasil Dinkov – GPLC Student
I’m originally from Bulgaria and I immigrated to the United States in 2000. When I came here knowing very little English, I was afraid to start talking to anyone.
Clip #21, 16 seconds, Vasil Dinkov
I was lucky to find this organization called GPLC. I was lucky to get a tutor relatively quickly. I started working on my language skills two months after I came to Pittsburgh.
Clip #22, 5 seconds, Vasil Dinkov
Once you get rid of the fear, you can improve much better
Clip #23, 44 seconds, McKinstry, Dow, Dinkov, Mims
McKinstry: The people I worked with at the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council are some of the nicest people that you would want to meet.
Dow: I read more books in the last year than I think I have in all the time I went to school.
Dinkov: Right now, sometimes I’m really happy with myself because I can do it in my second language.
Mims: The Literacy Council is founded on people who give. People who give . People who give their time. People who give their money. People who give their interest to adult education.
Dow: One of these days I hope that I can be able to return what Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council has done for me — I can do for somebody else.
GPLC – From the Top
Clip #1, 25 seconds, Ken Rice - KDKA News Anchor and GPLC Advisory Board Member
SETTING THE TONE
“Reading, writing, arithmetic. Subjects we took in school and often took for granted. But the inability to master any one of these skills can have a profound impact on people’s lives as well as on society as a whole. In a world that’s powered more and more today by access to all kinds of information, literacy can unlock the doors opportunity. For those who can’t master the basic learning skills, life and the ability to master its challenges, can be difficult.
Clip #2, 17.09 seconds, Don Block – GPLC Executive Director
LITERACY IS A BROAD SPECTRUM
“Literacy for us is a very broad spectrum of skills including reading, writing, math, problem solving, critical thinking, even computer skills are needed in the workforce these days. And so literacy to us is equivalent to basic education across a broad spectrum.”
Clip #3, 10 seconds, Don Block
OUR PROGRAM IS FOR PEOPLE
Our program is for people who have left the school system. They’re either immigrants to this country who need English as a Second Language or adults who have left the public schools.
Clip #4, 1 minute/43 seconds, Don Block
There is a third system. When most people think about education, they think about K thru 12, public schools or they think of colleges and universities. Those are the first two things you think about. There is also a system in this country of adult basic education and it exists in every city. In some places it’s run by different types of organizations. It could be a private non profit like mine or it could be a public school or community college --- but there is one. And there are three million adults enrolled across the country in this system and there are probably another 100,000 to 200,000 on waiting lists trying to get in.
Clip #5. 18.23 seconds, Don Block
THE BAR KEEPS GOING UP
I would say the bar keeps going up slightly and so, while we’re making progress with certain groups of individuals, the standards in society, and out in the workplace that they’re being held to keep going up slightly making it more challenging for us to keep up.
Clip #6, 7 seconds, Don Block
THE MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER
We like to say the parent is the student’s first and most important teacher.
GPLC – One Student’s Story
Clip #9, 17 seconds, Dave Kubit – GPLC Student
I SAW A BILLBOARD
I saw a billboard with the Literacy Council number and they put me in touch with the right people. And they also provided me with a lot of compassion and patience which I desperately needed. I was at wit’s end so I just threw it up to fate and through the grace of God.
Clip #7, 7.26 seconds, Dave Kubit
GRACE OF GOD
Through the grace of God I found the Literacy Council and they helped me through. My tutors they worked with me twice a week, two hours a day to get me through.
Clip #11, 9 seconds, Dave Kubit
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE
People at the Literacy Council were very patient, compassionate and they knew what I was going through. So I was very fortunate to get in touch with such an organization.
Clip #8, 11 seconds, Dave Kubit
I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE LITERACY COUNCIL
It brought me my confidence back and I overcame some self doubt, no question about it. It was a long haul and I’m grateful for the Literacy Council of Pittsburgh.
Clip #10, 6 seconds, Dave Kubit
IT OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD
It opened up a whole new world for me and I just feel the sky’s the limit for myself.
Clip #12, 8 seconds, Dave Kubit
IF YOU HAVE A GOAL
If you have a goal to obtain and you know it requires more education, I say get the right tutoring and the Literacy Council is the place to go.
Clip #13, 4 seconds, Dave Kubit
I’M A WORK IN PROGRESS
I’m a work in progress, but I’m grateful for how far I’ve come.
