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VALUE is a charitable organization working to improve our nation's education system and empower adults with low literacy skills to realize their human potential.

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Meet Ryan ...

“There was time for a change and the time was now.

So I jumped in to make a change.” – Ryan Springer

In the United States, where one in five adults struggle with low literacy skills, this silent population goes largely unnoticed. That is why VALUE helps give a voice to adult learners. Ryan Springer became much more than an adult learner. He became an advocate, helping other adults become learners and advocates too. Here is his remarkable story.

1

Ryan began his experience as many adult learners do, first with the desire to obtain his high school diploma. In a situation where, too often, embarrassment and fear limit adults to take the first step towards literacy, Ryan overcame his inhibitions and imagined a better life.

2
Then he became more involved with his class and its direction.

3

When he entered into his adult literacy program, there were not enough resources for the adult education classes. They lacked necessities like tables and computers. When Ryan found out the adult education program was in danger of closing, he got involved in the fight for literacy.

4
“There was time for a change and the time was now. So I jumped in to make a change,” Ryan describes.

5

Once Ryan learned about VALUE, he participated in its intensive, two-day Leadership Training that taught him how to shift from learner to leader. He studied student speaking and strategic planning and how literacy programs operate.

6
Ryan knew helping to build his leadership skills could be a great opportunity because there were very few adult learners in leadership positions in adult literacy and few in his community!

7

Ryan’s life began to change, and he in turn began to change the lives of others: “VALUE showed me when you get your diploma, you still have another job to do — to help people coming up behind us and to support student leadership.”

8
Through his involvement, Ryan is using his advocacy skills to help expand the adult literacy program and open additional classes for those who struggle with their reading skills as he once struggled.
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Ryan is using the leadership skills he learned to acquire the tables and computers needed in the classroom.

10

“VALUE helped me change my life and helped me become more outgoing.” Ryan recently became involved in a community coalition of local churches in his area. He spoke in front of a group of 7,000 people at a fundraiser to benefit adult literacy programs.

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In addition, he has recently been invited to hold a position on the editorial board of another organization in his community, which he accepted.
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Ryan was awarded VALUE’s Susan Green Award in 2007 for his outstanding leadership in the community.
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“VALUE showed me how much student involvement really is — it's not just going to class everyday, getting your diploma and then leaving, it’s about staying involved.”

VALUE knows that helping to empower adult learners is one of the best ways to improve our nation’s literacy rate because we know that when adult learners become literacy leaders ... entire communities benefit, as Ryan's community has.

Everyday in all fifty states, in rural communities, suburbs and large cities, adult learner leaders like Ryan show us what is possible with the right help at the right time.

A page has been turned. You can help.

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