Literacyworks Newsletter: Spring 2022 Edition
Literacyworks Center Student Profile (Alumni Edition)
Leticia Garcia Arango
Leticia with Joe Bruin, UCLA mascot.
From Leticia:
Literacyworks helped me create a community during my time at SRJC. As a first-generation, low-income Latina student, navigating college and finding a support system was difficult. I was lucky enough to find Literacyworks. It was an amazing resource to help me out through my time in community college. I was able to find like-minded individuals who have similar obstacles and goals as me. Literacyworks also allowed me to relieve stress as the scholarship allowed me to focus more time on my studies. I successfully was able to transfer from SRJC in 2019 to UCLA. Now I am a recent graduate from UCLA and received a B.A. in Sociology. As a recent graduate, I am currently working at the EOPS/ CalWORKs at the SRJC. I am fortunate enough to continue my passion for helping college students throughout their academic journey. I am forever grateful for the support and resources Literacyworks provided for me during my educational journey. I truly owe my success to Literacyworks and all the support systems I found at SRJC.
Literacyworks Center Conducting One-to-One Interviews with All Students
The Literacyworks Program requires a one-to-one interview with each student every semester. This 2022 Spring semester, we have 110 students enrolled in our program to interview. Chris and Rita would meet face to face in the library during normal, non-pandemic times, but that is not possible since the SRJC campus is restricting on-campus activities. Instead, staff will conduct the interviews remotely, either by phone or Zoom. The purpose of the interview is to support students' success in college and better understand the challenges they face. We take the interview information to keep our database current, identify potential issues that may affect educational performance, and chronicle our students' stories. This is all to help support our students in meeting their academic goals. We also strive to assist them, where we can, with their life challenges.
Health Literacy and COVID Awareness
Health literacy is the ability to access, process, and understand basic health information. When it comes to the next COVID outbreak, understanding how to protect yourself is essential in making good health decisions. Literacyworks is dedicated to providing our students and the community with understandable, plain language, up-to-date COVID information. When the next wave hits, our students will have access to this information and will be able to display good COVID preventative health techniques.
Numerous studies have shown the widespread lack of health literacy is a significant public health challenge. Lack of health literacy can negatively affect health outcomes and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality for a substantial portion of the U.S. population.
During this pandemic, Americans went to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) for assistance navigating their way through the COVID-19 pandemic. Many found they could not understand the CDC's complex vocabulary and instructions for coronavirus safety procedures.
According to Joseph Dexter, a fellow at Dartmouth's Neukom Institute for Computational Science and senior author of the study, "During a pandemic, it is vital that potentially lifesaving guidance be accessible to all audiences." the language the CDC used to inform the public was at an 11th-grade reading level— three levels higher than promised.
"The differences between eighth-grade and 11th-grade reading levels are crucial. Writing at a higher grade level can place greater demands on the reader and cause people to miss key information," says Dexter. (Note: Literacyworks attempts to provide plain language information written around the 6th-7th grade reading level).
According to the study, exceeding readability standards may have a more significant effect on vulnerable communities with lower health literacy, potentially worsening the impact of the pandemic.
Populations that have been disproportionately afflicted by the pandemic, such as those: 1) with poor access to education and healthcare; 2) facing cultural barriers; 3) those with limited English proficiency, and 4) who have cognitive disabilities, tend to suffer from inadequate knowledge around their health.
People with low health literacy often have difficulties identifying trustworthy health information sources and are more likely to fall for unproven treatments, phony experts, and medical conspiracy theories.
Literacyworks is committed to helping good health practices by providing plain language health information on our website, such as our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page at https://www.literacyworkscenter.org/covid-19
COPPERFIELD'S BOOKS & LITERACYWORKS PRESENT: GREG SARRIS
Event date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 - 6:00 pm
Featured Book: Becoming Story: A Journey Among Seasons, Places, Trees, and Ancestors
Event Location:
Copperfield's Books Montgomery Village
775 Village Court
Santa Rosa
Copperfield's Books and Literacyworks welcomes friend, Literacyworks Honorary Board Member, and local author Greg Sarris to Montgomery Village to discuss his memoir: Becoming Story.
In Becoming Story Greg asks: What does it mean to be truly connected to the place you call home--to walk where innumerable generations of your ancestors have walked? And what does it mean when you dedicate your life to making that connection even deeper?
The discussion will be followed by a Q&A and a book signing. This is a free event. Masks required for in-store events. Go to Copperfield's website for free tickets: https://www.copperfieldsbooks.com/event/copperfields-books-literacyworks-present-greg-sarris
SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS!
Our low-income students are among the most vulnerable in our community when it comes to suffering during a disaster. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, many of our students are suffering a loss of income and housing. Also, SRJC has been closed since the first of April when online classes began.
Our staff is offering additional support services to ensure our students stay in school and complete their course of study. We are proud that most have persisted and remained.
Thank you for supporting our students with your donation during this difficult time. You are making a difference in their lives with your gift.
