Organization
The Rogers County Literacy Council (Council) was formed in 1985 as a result of a series of stories published in the Claremore Daily Progress newspaper about adult illiteracy. The Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a community-based Board of Directors. When the Will Rogers Library, Claremore opened in 1994, the City of Claremore dedicated two rooms to the Council’s use; one is an office for the Executive Director, the other a tutoring space.
Contact:
918-277-4331
1515 N. Florence
Claremore, OK 74017
director@rocoread.org
Office hours are Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The Council’s Executive Director (Chelsea Carey) procures funding through grants and donations, manages grant-funded programs, recruits learners and volunteers, and administrates the program, handles testing and placement of adult learners.
The Executive Director works with both learners, tutors to determine the best study materials for each individual, and assesses progress. Email Chelsea Carey at director@rocoread.org
The literacy council volunteers (and grant-funded teachers) teach adult basic education (ABE) and English as a learned language (ELL) to adult learners who want to:
- Learn to improve their reading skills for home or work.
- Prepare to take a High school Equivalency Preparation class such as the one offered through Union Public schools on the RSU Campus in Claremore.
- Seek US Citizenship.
- Improve their life skills through better understanding, including in the workplace.
In 2017 the Council initiated a program called RoCo Readers. This is a volunteer program placing trained tutors in public schools in Rogers County. A reading teacher selects participants from grades one, two, or three. The Council supplies a tutor for a weekly reading tutoring session and a book for each young learner to take home.
The literacy council trains volunteer tutors to:
- Recognize that all learners deserve respect and compassion.
- Utilize technology to keep their skills current and grow their personal knowledge of literacy tutoring.
- Understand the learning process.
- Recognize and overcome some common learning obstacles.
- Use teaching tools to keep learning rewarding for everyone.
The Council is a member of the Oklahoma Literacy Coalition, ProLiteracy America, and the Claremore Chamber of Commerce.