A Crucial Need

Phi Kappa Phi Forum, Spring 2004 by Schubert, Donna Clark

A smudged little face appeared across the counter from me at my husband's retail store. "Can you help my daddy?" she asked. "He can't read the prices." And so began my introduction to illiteracy.

In 2001, the Board of Directors and staff of Phi Kappa Phi added the following few but significant words to the Society's mission statement: "to engage the community of scholars in service to others. " Beyond recognizing and promoting academic excellence, the expanded mission statement acknowledges the value of the friendships and bonds created through membership. It also acknowledges the meaningful contributions that our members make to society, and it challenges us to do more.

In early 2002, President Wendell McKenzie wanted to implement a program to show Phi Kappa Phi's commitment to community service. He appointed a work group comprised of Nancy Blattner, Sarah Bulman, Paul Ferlazzo, Marya Free, Pat Kaetz, Traci Navarre, Mandi Walton, and me. Together, our group studied, learned, and made use of the considerable body of knowledge shared freely by Phi Kappa Phi members.

Here is what we learned about the effects of illiteracy:

* Approximately 44 million Americans have extremely limited reading and quantitative skills, according to the National Adult Literacy Survey published by ProLiteracy America.

* Those who lack basic literacy skills are more likely than others to suffer from heart disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer, and as people gain literacy skills, they are more likely to understand their health problems and to follow treatment regimens properly.

* Children of low-literate parents tend to get poor care and poor nutrition at home and tend to do poorly in school.

* Worldwide, 70 percent of adults who lack basic literacy skills are women, and low-literate women earn only 70.1 percent as much as men with equivalent skills.

* Literacy issues are as interdisciplinary as is our Society, and we can do something about them.

In the fall of 2002, Phi Kappa Phi announced a pilot literacy-grants program that would ultimately award $30,000 to worthy projects. As chair of the work group, I quietly set my personal measure of success at receiving ten grant proposals. We received almost ninety.

Today, Phi Kappa Phi literacy-grant recipients are tutoring adults; reading with and providing books and materials for children, including homeless children; providing supplementary reading and writing instruction and workshops; replenishing a school library that suffered water damage; and creating interaction among K-12 and college students, senior citizens, and community members.

In the next triennium, this literacy-grants program will become a permanent part of Phi Kappa Phi's service to others. Thank you, my fellow Phi Kappa Phi members, for dreaming with open minds, volunteering countless hours, and investing your considerable talents in making this literacy program a reality. Because of you, our community of scholars is helping little girls' daddies every day.

Donna Clark Schubert is National Vice President of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.