A program to teach adults in Logan to read has been named the 156th of President Bush's "1,000 points of light" of shining voluntarism.
Bush said Wednesday that with the help of the Bridgerland Literacy Program in Logan, "the written word is no longer an enemy but a friend."Bush has named a "daily point of light" for the past several months to honor volunteers, and the Bridgerland Literacy Program and the volunteers that serve it are the first from Utah to be honored.
A statement from the White House said that one in seven adults in Logan either cannot read or reads below a fifth-grade level. The Bridgerland Literacy Program provides one-to-one tutoring for those in need.
After attending a 15-hour training program, volunteers become certified as tutors. They meet once or twice a week with a student in the local library or at home, teaching reading and writing skills and developing lasting relationships.
"The program has resulted in new and better jobs for the students and the ability to function more efficiently and productively in their personal and work lives," a White House statement said.
Bush has made increasing voluntarism a high priority and has said, "From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must include serving others."