Milwaukee Achiever Literacy Services Receives National Accreditation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2009
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| (left to right) Gary Dalton, Board Chair; Pamela Schopf, Board Member and Chair of the Strategic Marketing Committee;Tracy Loken Weber, Programs Director; Peg Palmer, Executive Director; Jim Urness, ProLiteracy Accreditation Support Representative; and Dorothy Sorlie, ProLiteracy Accreditation Support Representative. |
Milwaukee, WI – On May 20, 2009, Milwaukee Achiever Literacy Services was awarded accredited status by ProLiteracy Worldwide, a nonprofit educational organization that evaluates and supports local literacy programs across the country and around the world. Milwaukee Achiever has served the greater Milwaukee area for twenty-six years, working to inspire and empower adult learners to gain the skills necessary to enrich their lives through education and training. Milwaukee Achiever helps adults improve their reading, writing and math skills, prepare for success in GED testing, master English as a second language, plan for citizenship, and gain computer and workplace skills to improve their employment potential.
Peg Palmer, Executive Director of Milwaukee Achiever, said “It’s an honor for us to be the first agency in the greater Milwaukee area to receive ProLiteracy accreditation. We see it as recognition for the years of work that are so essential to building a quality program.” The Milwaukee Achiever philosophy focuses on adult learning in small group and one-on-one tutoring situations that emphasize mutual acceptance and respect between tutors and learners.
Peter Waite, Vice-President of Programs and Services for ProLiteracy, said, “We are proud to add Milwaukee Achiever to our growing list of accredited organizations. They have demonstrated that their program meets the highest national standards for volunteer literacy programs and that their services to the community are effective. We applaud the many volunteers, staff and students who have devoted their time and effort to achieve this goal.”
Dorothy Sorlie and Jim Urness, members of the ProLiteracy accreditation team, commented on the comprehensive nature of the workforce development component of Milwaukee Achiever’s services. The partnership between Milwaukee Achiever and Cargill, Inc. received special attention from the team for its uniquely tailored approach to job training. Both Sorlie and Urness were present when the program, called JobLink Workforce Development, received recognition from Wisconsin Literacy, a statewide coalition of adult, family and workplace literacy providers. JobLink was given the 2009 “Outstanding Achievement in a Workplace Literacy Program Award” by Wisconsin Literacy at their annual Celebration of Literacy event in Madison.
ProLiteracy’s accreditation provides literacy programs with a comprehensive process for conducting an organizational self-assessment, developing program improvement plans, and demonstrating that the organization meets the highest standards for governance, program management, program operations and volunteer development. ProLiteracy’s mission is to sponsor educational programs and services whose purpose is to empower adults and their families by assisting them to acquire the literacy skills they need to function more effectively in their daily lives and participate in the transformation of their societies.
The mission at Milwaukee Achiever parallels that of ProLiteracy. Tracy Loken Weber, Programs Director at Milwaukee Achiever, commented on the level of commitment necessary for the program to reach its goal. “The outstanding devotion and educational excellence of our highly credentialed staff, volunteers and board of directors is the component that allows our program to excel in the greater Milwaukee area,” said Loken-Weber.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peg Palmer, Executive Director (414) 463-8820
Tracy Loken Weber, Programs Director (414) 643-5108, ex. 101
Peg Palmer and Tracy Loken Weber are available for interviews.
Media Note: For more information please visit our Web sites:
www.proliteracy.org
www.MilwaukeeAchiever.org
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Congratulatory Comments | ProLiteracy Accreditation Letter (pdf) | ProLiteracy Accreditation Certificate (pdf)
