Event Information
Featured image: Theresa Hickman, the founder and owner of Mother Doves Academy, welcoming a community member during Family Reading Night 2022.
South Suburban College (SSC) is gearing up for its annual Family Reading Night event, set to take place on Thursday, November 16th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at SSC's Main Campus located at 15800 S. State Street, South Holland, IL. The public is invited to attend this free event, which aims to promote community literacy through engaging stories, youth activities, and live presentations. Attendees can look forward to a puppet show, face painting, balloon art, book readings by local authors, and a youth book giveaway. The event's community partners comprise Burst into Books, Y.U.R.W.I. Youth Urban Reading and Writing Initiative, and Doughboy's Catering.
David Stephens, SSC's Adult Literacy Grant Manager and the coordinator for Family Reading Night, emphasized the importance of family literacy, stating, "When families prioritize literacy together, it improves the overall health and well-being. Family Literacy not only enriches each individual's quality of life but also provides adult family members with positive outcomes in their careers and household income. Improvements can be seen in educational attainment, civic participation/voting activity, employment opportunities, and financial security. The best determinant in a child's future academic success is the improved reading skill of the entire family."
Illiteracy is an issue that can be debilitating for both adults and children who never received the proper instruction. Adults who struggle with reading face difficulties in daily activities that others may take for granted and are at a clear disadvantage in today's competitive job market. In addition to the Family Reading Night event, SSC's Adult Education Department administers the Adult Volunteer Literacy Tutoring Program, as well as programs in High School Equivalency (HSE/GED), English as a Second Language (ESL), and Adult Basic Education (ABE).
For additional information regarding Family Reading Night or the Adult Volunteer Literacy Program, please contact David Stephens, Adult Literacy Grants Manager, at (708) 596-2000, ext. 2558, or email DStephens@ssc.edu. This event is sponsored in part by the SSC Foundation.